Boris Johnson has said there is realistically no “military solution” to the conflict in Afghanistan following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet security committee.
The prime minister said British troops who had died in the country since being sent there in 2001 had not done so “in vain” in light of recent Taliban advances and he added that the UK should not “turn our backs on Afghanistan”.
Describing the situation as “very difficult”, Mr Johnson said: “I think we have got to be realistic about the power of the UK or any power to impose a military solution – a combat solution – in Afghanistan.
“What we certainly can do is work with all our partners in the region around the world who share an interest with us in preventing Afghanistan once again becoming a breeding ground for terror.”
But Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said “all possible” measures should be looked at and called for meetings of the UN security council and Nato.
Recommended The Afghan people need our help – many are at risk from the Taliban Taliban take control of another provincial capital The Taliban are storming prisons holding thousands of militants
Ms Nandy said there was a “horror unfolding in Afghanistan” but that it was “not inevitable and we are not powerless”.
“The government must examine all possible measures it can take to back the Afghan army so they have the means and support to fight back,” she said, not clarifying whether this included military intervention.
“There should be an emergency meeting of Nato to explore what steps could be taken in step with our allies to arrest the Taliban’s advance.
“The government should call an urgent meeting of the UN security council, to engage regional partners and rally support for the Afghan government. And Britain must play our role in international efforts to support refugees, including safe and legal routes.
She went on to say: “We have an obligation to the people of Afghanistan who have suffered so much – but the government is sending all the wrong signals, slashing aid to the country as it faces a humanitarian crisis and dragging its feet over resettling Afghans who have supported the UK presence in the country.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey demanded the recalling of parliament to discuss the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the country, stating: "The UK government must use its seat at the table at the UN security council to initiate consultations on the deployment of UN peacekeepers in Afghanistan.”
UN peacekeepers operate with the consent of all sides in the conflict, would be impartial, and would not use force except in self-defence and pursuit of their mandate.
Following a meeting of the government's Cobra contingencies committee, Mr Johnson confirmed on Friday afternoon that the “vast bulk” of remaining UK embassy staff in Kabul would return in the next few days.
And he said the government was stepping up efforts to relocate Afghans who had helped British forces during their time in the country and who now face reprisals.
A team of Home Office officials to help deal with their applications are expected to join 600 British troops flying out to the country to assist in the evacuation of the remaining UK nationals as the Taliban close in on the capital Kabul.
Conservatives have given a mixed response to the withdrawal. Tory former defence minister Johnny Mercer, who served as a soldier in the country, said it was “deeply humiliating” watching events unfold.
“[US president Joe] Biden has made a huge mistake here, but also we have a role. This idea we cannot act unilaterally and support the Afghan security forces is simply not true,” he told the BBC.
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But Conservative former foreign secretary Lord Hammond said that while the withdrawal of US forces had been a “gross miscalculation” by the US government, there was little the UK could do.
“It's not the fault of the British government, they had really no choice but to withdraw British troops once the US had decided to withdraw American troops,” he told Times Radio.
Despite spending nearly 20 years in Afghanistan, the international coalition has failed to defeat the Taliban, which has fought back as an insurgent force after being quickly ousted from the government during the initial invasion.
A grip on the country has proved elusive for the current Afghan government and international forces, with the Taliban controlling as much territory by August 2019 as it did in 2001.
The Islamist militant group has made significant further advances across the country as the US announced it would withdraw the last of its troops by September.
The bulk of international combat forces were withdrawn between 2011 and 2016, with most gone by 2014. A force of 650 US troops is expected to remain for diplomatic protection duties, down from 4,000 last year and 2,500 at the start of this year.