An ex Royal Marine turned animal charity director, Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing, who is still in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, has blasted the evacuation mission from the country as “scandalous” as he shared an image of an apparently “empty” plane.
He took to Twitter on Aug 17th when he wrote: “My wife is at the North gate of Kabul airport being crushed in the stampede to get with my 34 week pregnant country manager. The UK military will not come out to rescue them. @BorisJohnson@DominicRaab anything happens I will hold you personally responsible @BBCBreaking@SkyNews“
My wife is at the North gate of Kabul airport being crushed in the stampede to get with my 34 week pregnant country manager. The UK military will not come out to rescue them. @BorisJohnson @DominicRaab anything happens I will hold you personally responsible @BBCBreaking @SkyNews
— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) August 17, 2021
Mr Farthing then posted an image on Twitter reportedly taken from inside a plane his wife was on as she was evacuated from the country. His wife’s empty evacuation flight was from Kabul to Norway.
It showed rows of empty seats.
He told Sky News how aircraft are taking off from the airport every hour “regardless of whether they’re full or not”, adding: “People can’t get in, they cannot get into the airport.”
Mr Farthing wrote: “Kaisa is on her way home! BUT this aircraft is empty…scandalous as thousands wait outside #Kabul airport being crushed as they cannot get in.
“Sadly people will be left behind when this mission is over as we CANNOT get it right”.
Kaisa is on her way home! BUT this aircraft is empty…scandalous as thousands wait outside #Kabul airport being crushed as they cannot get in Sadly people will be left behind when this mission is over as we CANNOT get it right ?@SecDef @VP @cnnbrk @BBCBreaking @SkyNews @itvnews pic.twitter.com/FoAxFrzT1K
— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) August 19, 2021
He explained the issue on Talk Radio.
Former Royal Marine and @Nowzad director, Pen Farthing, trapped in Afghanistan says "The problem is getting to the airport. Thousands of people are trying to get in. The situation is going to get worse. No one knows when the last flight is." @TVKev | @PenFarthing | @PeterEgan6 pic.twitter.com/jzBBNLW1pp
— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) August 19, 2021
He is also the founder of the Nowzad animal charity has been fighting to get all of his 25 staff and their families out of the country, saying he will not leave until they are all safely evacuated.
Reactions
1.
Why are they letting a plane go out empty?
— Jane Dalton (@JournoJane) August 19, 2021
2.
I’m glad your Mrs is getting home safely. Though can’t understand why the fights empty. I was interviewed by Worcester News today and mentioned you and your situation, I’m hoping the reporter puts your difficult circumstances in the paper to highlight the situation your in.
— Andria (@Andria3858) August 19, 2021
3.
Next one has to go in or this plane needs to arrive and start back. A German plan was empty as well on Monday. Main bottle neck are apparently lists at US perimeter troops not showing everyone and Taliban check points not letting people through.
— Hermann Koch ? (@E4rmaKoch) August 19, 2021
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