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| Afghanistan: How many people has the UK evacuated? | Afghanistan: How many people has the UK evacuated? |
| (6 days later) | |
| The former Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, has been defending the UK's handling of the evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of Kabul in August. | The former Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, has been defending the UK's handling of the evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of Kabul in August. |
| It follows claims from a whistleblower, Raphael Marshall - who worked at the Foreign Office at the time - that the government's response to the crisis was chaotic and dysfunctional. | It follows claims from a whistleblower, Raphael Marshall - who worked at the Foreign Office at the time - that the government's response to the crisis was chaotic and dysfunctional. |
| How many people were evacuated by the UK? | How many people were evacuated by the UK? |
| Mr Raab said 15,000 people were evacuated by the UK from Afghanistan from 15 August to the end of that month. | Mr Raab said 15,000 people were evacuated by the UK from Afghanistan from 15 August to the end of that month. |
| He said it was a larger number than by any other nation except the US. | He said it was a larger number than by any other nation except the US. |
| At the time, the government said the 15,000 people included 5,000 British nationals, 8,000 Afghans and 2,000 children. | At the time, the government said the 15,000 people included 5,000 British nationals, 8,000 Afghans and 2,000 children. |
| Some Afghan nationals had already arrived in the UK for resettlement before that date. | Some Afghan nationals had already arrived in the UK for resettlement before that date. |
| The Foreign Office told us that since the end of August, a further 3,000 people had been helped to leave Afghanistan. This included more than 1,100 UK nationals. | |
| In written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Marshall said he estimated that between 75,000 and 150,000 people in Afghanistan had applied for evacuation to the UK in August. | In written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Marshall said he estimated that between 75,000 and 150,000 people in Afghanistan had applied for evacuation to the UK in August. |
| He estimated that 5% of these received assistance. | He estimated that 5% of these received assistance. |
| What about other countries? | What about other countries? |
| The US evacuated the largest number of people from Afghanistan in August. | The US evacuated the largest number of people from Afghanistan in August. |
| From 14 August to 28 August, it got 113,500 people out of the country. | From 14 August to 28 August, it got 113,500 people out of the country. |
| Afghans wait to be processed after arriving in the US on an evacuation flight | Afghans wait to be processed after arriving in the US on an evacuation flight |
| Other countries evacuated much smaller numbers over that period, according to official statements and press releases | Other countries evacuated much smaller numbers over that period, according to official statements and press releases |
| Germany - more than 5,300 | Germany - more than 5,300 |
| Italy - more than 5,000 | Italy - more than 5,000 |
| Canada - more than 3,700 | Canada - more than 3,700 |
| France - around 3,000 | France - around 3,000 |
| Since the end of August, some countries have continued to carry out occasional evacuations. France evacuated 258 people just last week. | Since the end of August, some countries have continued to carry out occasional evacuations. France evacuated 258 people just last week. |
| How many British nationals are left? | How many British nationals are left? |
| In August, Mr Raab said that the number of British nationals remaining in Afghanistan was "in the low hundreds, " although he would not give a more precise figure. | In August, Mr Raab said that the number of British nationals remaining in Afghanistan was "in the low hundreds, " although he would not give a more precise figure. |
| The Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August this year | The Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August this year |
| Mr Raab told a committee of MPs that nearly all the people in Afghanistan with single UK nationality and accompanying documentation had been brought back - but it had proved harder to estimate the number of dual-nationality Britons remaining in Afghanistan. | Mr Raab told a committee of MPs that nearly all the people in Afghanistan with single UK nationality and accompanying documentation had been brought back - but it had proved harder to estimate the number of dual-nationality Britons remaining in Afghanistan. |
| The example he provided was that some large families may have one or more people that were documented, but it was unclear what the status of the rest of the family was. | The example he provided was that some large families may have one or more people that were documented, but it was unclear what the status of the rest of the family was. |
| On 7 December, the Prime Minister's special representative for Afghanistan, Nigel Casey, told MPs there were about 200 British nationals still in Afghanistan. | On 7 December, the Prime Minister's special representative for Afghanistan, Nigel Casey, told MPs there were about 200 British nationals still in Afghanistan. |
| How are Afghans resettled in UK? | How are Afghans resettled in UK? |
| The UK government has a scheme to resettle Afghans - the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which was launched on 1 April. | The UK government has a scheme to resettle Afghans - the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which was launched on 1 April. |
| Under the scheme, Afghans who worked for the British military and UK government (for example, as interpreters) are able to move to the UK permanently, rather than getting five years' residency as was previously offered. | Under the scheme, Afghans who worked for the British military and UK government (for example, as interpreters) are able to move to the UK permanently, rather than getting five years' residency as was previously offered. |
| The Home Office says there have been 7,000 people relocated under the ARAP scheme since its launch. | The Home Office says there have been 7,000 people relocated under the ARAP scheme since its launch. |
| Before the ARAP scheme, the Home Office says 1,400 former staff and families were relocated since 2013 under a previous scheme called the Ex-Gratia Policy. | Before the ARAP scheme, the Home Office says 1,400 former staff and families were relocated since 2013 under a previous scheme called the Ex-Gratia Policy. |
| In addition to ARAP, the government has said the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will allow a total of 20,000 to settle in the UK. | In addition to ARAP, the government has said the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will allow a total of 20,000 to settle in the UK. |
| It will focus on women and children as well as religious and other minorities in danger from the Taliban. | It will focus on women and children as well as religious and other minorities in danger from the Taliban. |
| A fact-sheet released about it in September said it would welcome 5,000 Afghans in the first year, although the scheme is yet to open. | A fact-sheet released about it in September said it would welcome 5,000 Afghans in the first year, although the scheme is yet to open. |
| Immigration lawyer Sarah Pinder said resettlement schemes are often too slow for crises such as the one in Afghanistan. | Immigration lawyer Sarah Pinder said resettlement schemes are often too slow for crises such as the one in Afghanistan. |
| "The idea that people can queue up to make an application by staying put... in reality, it's difficult to put into practice," she said. | "The idea that people can queue up to make an application by staying put... in reality, it's difficult to put into practice," she said. |
| And she said the schemes' criteria were often narrow, leaving people "stuck in a loop" between different ones. | And she said the schemes' criteria were often narrow, leaving people "stuck in a loop" between different ones. |
| What about other Afghans seeking asylum? | What about other Afghans seeking asylum? |
| Outside a small number of official resettlement schemes, the main way to settle in the UK is to seek asylum once within the country's borders. | Outside a small number of official resettlement schemes, the main way to settle in the UK is to seek asylum once within the country's borders. |
| In 2020, 1,336 people from Afghanistan applied for asylum, out of 29,456 total applications from around the world, and 580 were granted it. But not all of those granted asylum had applied in the same year. | In 2020, 1,336 people from Afghanistan applied for asylum, out of 29,456 total applications from around the world, and 580 were granted it. But not all of those granted asylum had applied in the same year. |
| They were much larger numbers of Afghans applying for asylum last year in some EU countries, such as Greece, France and Germany. | They were much larger numbers of Afghans applying for asylum last year in some EU countries, such as Greece, France and Germany. |
| This year up until September, there were 1,974 asylum applications in the UK from Afghan nationals - an increase of almost 40% over the previous year. | This year up until September, there were 1,974 asylum applications in the UK from Afghan nationals - an increase of almost 40% over the previous year. |
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