A SPOKESPERSON for the Taliban has given a deadline of August 31 for evacuations from Afghanistan to be completed as UK troops work to bring as many as 20,000 refugees to the UK.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said no evacuations from Afghanistan will be permitted after the August 31 deadline.

During a press conference in Kabul, he said: “August 31 is the time given and after that it’s something that is against the agreement.

“All people should be removed prior to that date.

“After that we do not allow them, it will not be allowed in our country, we will take a different stance.”

It comes as defence secretary Ben Wallace conceded an extension to the deadline for pulling out remaining troops from Afghanistan to allow evacuations to continue is “unlikely”.

South Wales Argus: Members of the UK Armed Forces taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan (LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA)Members of the UK Armed Forces taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan (LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA)

UK defence secretary to hold emergency talks with Joe Biden

The comments came ahead of emergency talks with US President Joe Biden.

Ben Wallace expressed pessimism on whether the August 31 withdrawal date will be put back as he cited the US President’s reluctance and warnings of repercussions from the Taliban.

Boris Johnson will host a virtual G7 summit on Tuesday afternoon during which he is expected to press Mr Biden to keep his troops in the Afghan capital for longer.

But the Taliban, which swept to power last week in the wake of America’s major withdrawal of troops, suggested that foreign forces remaining past the deadline would cross a “red line” that will “provoke a reaction”.

Acknowledging that “we’re not going to get everybody out of the country”, Mr Wallace expressed pessimism about the prospect of the evacuation operation from Kabul airport continuing after August 31.

“I think it is unlikely. Not only because of what the Taliban has said but if you look at the public statements of President Biden I think it is unlikely,” he told Sky News.

“It is definitely worth us all trying and we will.”

Britain has evacuated 8,600 people from Afghanistan in the past 10 days, including more than 2,000 in the previous 24 hours, according to the Defence Secretary.

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