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The Taliban's blisteringly fast takeover of Afghanistan has stunned security and diplomacy experts worldwide.
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Mr Wallace also said this morning that he had “felt uncomfortable” about the Doha deal and “made representations to the US and others at the time”. In yesterday’s debate Mr Starmer focused on the lack of planning for the withdrawal rather than saying he had opposed it and said: “Nobody believes that Britain and our allies could have remained in Afghanistan indefinitely, or that Britain could have fought alone.” But it should be noted he was not Labour leader then, and nor was there any debate in the Commons over the terms of the deal. We have found no evidence that Mr Starmer publicly supported last year’s deal in the period after it was announced. In fact, Keir Starmer supported it, as did all other parties in the House of Commons.” Mr Wallace said today: “I never heard from a single Labour MP when that deal was done, 18 months ago… one single criticism. Getty Images Copyright: Getty Images Ben Wallace, the UK's defence secretary, initially said Donald Trump's deal with the Taliban was "rotten" Image caption: Ben Wallace, the UK's defence secretary, initially said Donald Trump's deal with the Taliban was "rotten" Italy's minister of defence thanked the "more than 1,500 Italian soldiers who are carrying out, non-stop, an extraordinary job to ensure the transport of Afghan collaborators and their families". "In Afghanistan we are witnessing a great humanitarian tragedy and we are all doing our utmost," he said. Later two C130 planes carrying a total of 200 people lifted off from Kabul in the afternoon and evening, Italy's defence ministry said.Ĭlaudi remained in Kabul to manage the return operations on site. The first Italian evacuation flight carrying 86 people landed in Rome on Wednesday. "We've unfortunately had to witness dramatic scenes but we have managed in conditions of absolute emergency to bring home our compatriots and some of our Afghan colleagues," Tommaso Claudi, told Ansa news agency. Reuters Copyright: Reuters The first Italian evacuation flight out of Kabul landed in Rome on Wednesday Image caption: The first Italian evacuation flight out of Kabul landed in Rome on WednesdayĪn Italian diplomat has spoken about the challenging conditions in which rescue operations are taking place at Kabul airport.