Photo: Matt Austin/Shutterstock
A former British Marine hopes to get the green light to fly a plane from Kabul to rescue 200 shelterdogs and cats, amid a dispute with the U.K.’s Defense Secretary, who is arguing that people are the priority and should be flown out first.
Pen Farthing Twitter
“I served Queen and country for 22 years, I never ever, ever thought that I would be treated like this in return,” Farthing toldGood Morning BritainTuesday of the mission, which he has dubbed “Operation Ark.”
Responding to the remarks, Wallace took to Twitter the same day to share his side of the story and explain the logic for the decision as it stands.
“Now that Pen Farthing’s staff have been cleared to come forward under LOTR I have authorized MOD to facilitate their processing alongside all other eligible personnel at HKIA. At that stage, if he arrives with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane,” Wallace tweeted Tuesday.
“If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight. I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity,” the secretary said. “No one has the right in this humanitarian crisis to jump the queue,” Wallace added.
“We don’t have a plane in the coming days, right now there is a rift between Boris Johnson and the Ministry of Defense,” he told the outlet. “My direct line to the MoD has been cut off, they have left me, one of their own out here on their own.”
Matt Austin/Shutterstock
As international evacuations continue, Taliban checkpoints surrounding the Kabul airport — where people havereportedly been beatenas they try and pass through — have made it increasingly difficult for Afghans to leave.
If you would like to support those in need during the upheaval in Afghanistan, consider:
Donating toUNICEFto aid Afghans in the country or
Donating to theInternational Refugee Assistance Projectto help those fleeing.
source: people.com
