Britain says Kabul mission to finish by Aug. 31

London, Aug 25 (AP) Britain's foreign minister says he can't give a “precise timeline” about the end of UK evacuation flights from Afghanistan, but the mission will be over by Aug. 31.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said “it's clear that the troops will be withdrawn by the end of the month.” U.S. President Joe Biden has rejected pressure from Britain and other allies to extend the evacuation operation, saying it will end on Aug. 31. There are almost 6,000 American troops at the airport helping people flee the Taliban, along with smaller military contingents from other countries.

Raab said the British military will need time before the deadline to withdraw its people and equipment, but “we will make the maximum use of all the time we have left.” He said British forces have airlifted 9,000 British citizens and at-risk Afghans from Kabul airport since the Taliban took the Afghan capital on Aug. 15. (AP) MRJ