'UK veterans have taken their lives over pullout, fall of Afghanistan': British Minister

UK's Armed Forces Minister James Heappey on Monday claimed that several war veterans who had served in Afghanistan had taken their lives after witnessing Britain's withdrawal from the war-torn nation and its subsequent fall. Heappey, who has served as an officer of the British Army, told Sky News that some of his fellow soldiers who served with him on his last tour of Afghanistan, took their lives last week after being 'deeply hurt' by what was transpiring in the country. 

The UK Minister told Sky News, "I know, unfortunately, there have been soldiers who've served in Afghanistan, indeed a soldier who served with me on my last tour of Afghanistan, who've taken their lives in the last week or so because of the feelings they've had over what's happened in Afghanistan."

"That's hugely concerning and upsetting for people like me who are now in government and who served there and I know how much the veterans' community is hurting," he added.

UK veterans deeply disturbed: Minister 

The Armed Forces Minister stated that most veterans were still disturbed over the struggles that they saw during their tours of the war-torn nation in the last 2 decades. Urging the UK veterans to brave through their feelings, James Heappey said that what was happening right now did not diminish their past achievements. Claims on the number of UK veterans committing suicide after the Afghan pullout are yet to be verified. 

"That's why the government, the nation, needs to put our arm around our veterans and tell them how proud we are of what they did and make sure we separate whatever anger people feel about the political decisions taken this year, both in London and Washington and Paris and Berlin and everywhere else, from our deep enduring pride and gratitude for those who served in Afghanistan during those extraordinarily difficult years."

Several UK Ministers have been vocal critics of the 'chaotic' exit from Afghanistan. Earlier this week, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace publicly criticised the US government under Joe Biden for having "strategically...caused a lot of problems." During an interview with The Spectator, Wallace said, "It is obvious that Britain is not a superpower. But a superpower that is also not prepared to stick at something isn't probably a superpower either."