The UK is sending military personnel to help evacuate Britons from Afghanistan as the security situation in the country rapidly deteriorates.

The move was authorised by the defence secretary on Thursday morning.

In a hastily arranged briefing with journalists, Ben Wallace said 600 troops will be sent to Kabul on a “short-term basis” in response to the increasing violence across the country. They are expected to arrive in the coming days.

“I have authorised the deployment of additional military personnel to support the diplomatic presence in Kabul, assist British nationals to leave the country and support the relocation of former Afghan staff who risked their lives serving alongside us,” said Mr Wallace.

“The security of British nationals, British military personnel and former Afghan staff is our first priority. We must do everything we can to ensure their safety.”

The Ministry of Defence has characterised the move as part of the ongoing withdrawal of NATO forces, but in reality it is an unplanned emergency response to the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban rampage across the country.

The British soldiers will also assist with the acceleration of the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.

“This will help to make sure interpreters and other Afghan staff who risked their lives working alongside UK forces in Afghanistan can relocate to the UK as soon as possible,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The number of staff working at the British Embassy in Kabul has also been significantly reduced to a “core group”, the government has announced – the remaining staff will focus on consular help to anyone wanting to leave the country.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, will remain in Kabul but will relocate to a more secure location.

Related posts:

‘Together forever’: Husband of Brit murdered in front of daughter in Greece pays tribute Ceasefire looking unlikely as Israel-Gaza cross-border attacks continue Whole of New Zealand to go into lockdown after single COVID case reported NATO on alert for signs terror groups are regrouping in Afghanistan, says alliance’s chief Afghanistan collapse ‘happened faster than even the Taliban predicted’, says PM Ousted Afghan president Ashraf Ghani in UAE ‘on humanitarian grounds’ Desperate Afghan women throw babies over razor wire, asking British soldiers to take them Third jabs to be rolled out in US despite WHO calls for vaccines to go to poorer countries first Italy makes vaccine passport compulsory – workers can be fined and suspended without pay Google takes down anti-government app in Russia amid claims tech giant’s staff were threatened PM says COP26 talks ‘simply must succeed’ as climate conference nears North Macedonia’s president walks bullied 11-year-old girl to school