Dominic Raab faces mounting pressure to resign after it emerged a phone call requested by his officials to help interpreters flee Afghanistan was not made.
The Foreign Secretary was reportedly “unavailable” when officials in his department suggested he “urgently” call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on August 13 – two days before the Taliban marched on Kabul – to arrange help for those who supported British troops.
It was initially reported the Afghan Foreign Ministry refused to arrange a call with a junior minister, pushing it back to the next day.
But a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson later said: “Given the rapidly changing situation, it was not possible to arrange a call before the Afghan government collapsed.”
T-shirt
There has been anger as a t-shirt mocking people who died while desperately attempting to flee Afghanistan, by clinging onto a place, is being sold online.
It depicts a military aircraft with the outline of two bodies falling out the back with the phrase “Kabul Skydiving Club Est. 2021.”
The product description, says:
“Today we witness such a plane disaster in Kabul airport when 2 people falling from the Airplane in Afghanistan. The scene was full of chaos and we cannot deny the fact that Afghanistan is being taken over by the Taliban and the Afghans were trying to cling to planes, with the aim to escape from the country.
“We were truly heartbroken and empathetic with the horrifying death of 2 people falling from the plane, and it was a shock when the rest of the world understand how the people of Afghanistan are facing the situation over there. Deep in our heart, we pray for Afghanistan, and may the soul of the two people who fell from the plan rest in peace.
While in the next breath, they insensitively describe how “the Kabul Skydiving Club Shirt is officially becoming a phenomenon and goes viral on the Internet.”
“Taliban seized the capital Kabul, which causes the escape of thousands of Afghanistan people in Kabul’s airport on 17 Aug 2021. Two people – falling from the sky, out of the airplane, it hurts all of us.
“The shirt is originally not funny, it does have its own meaning in the political aspect, but in the end, it depends on how you feel about it!”
Reactions
1.
I am so disgusted. https://t.co/1el8bz4QfJ
— bambina (@ahashyy) August 19, 2021
2.
WTAF???? This is so messed up https://t.co/CYIAaeA4Rx
— (((RachelMoses))) (@TinuvielValaina) August 19, 2021
3.
A t-shirt called “Kabul Skydiving Club Est. 2021 being sold on @Etsy along with their “community guidelines” that they obviously just pay lip service to.
— Cold957 (@cold957) August 19, 2021
Sick and shameful after what happened at the airport.
Cc @GBNEWS pic.twitter.com/yo4Kb6GzJX
4.
Audible gasp of utter disgust https://t.co/HUkk5SGPsy
— dparvaz? (@dparvaz) August 18, 2021
5.
Some human beings really are sick, and ought to be openly regarded and declared as such. https://t.co/daDEfGh07D
— ᴅʀ ʜ.ᴀ. ʜᴇʟʟʏᴇʀ (@hahellyer) August 19, 2021
6.
As Afghans are fleeing and clinging to planes out of desperation, someone decided to capitalize on their pain and misery with this repulsive t-shirt.
— Holly Dagres (@hdagres) August 18, 2021
It’s being sold on at least half a dozen t-shirt printing websites right now. Humans can be so cruel. pic.twitter.com/du5cCbD2QA
7.
This is what we've becone, apparently.
— FS (@Lurk61953789) August 18, 2021
Related: ‘Scandalous:’ Planes leaving Afghanistan ’empty’ says veteran as he shares pic of flight
