BRITAIN'S ambassador to Afghanistan will be flown out of the country by Sunday (15) evening, the Sunday Telegraph reported, after UK troops moved to evacuate other British diplomats and officials.
Taliban fighters drew closer to Kabul on Saturday (14). The capital and Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, are now the only cities not in Taliban hands, prompting the United States and other western countries to rush to evacuate their citizens.
A plan to evacuate Britons had been due to last weeks, but the Sunday Telegraph said the Taliban's advances meant there were fears the airport could be overrun sooner and the operation had been sped up.
By Saturday (14) night, only tens of British officials and diplomats remained in Afghanistan, down from around 500 earlier in the week, the paper said, with the ambassador due to leave on Sunday.
The government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office could not immediately be reached for comment.
Britain said on Thursday (12) that it was sending 600 troops to help British nationals and local translators leave the country as the security situation deteriorated.
Diwali illuminations in Leicester (Pic credit: Beth Walsh Photography) Beth Walsh Photography 