Afghanistan has become a breeding ground for violent Islamists, ministers were warned last night. MPs said senior Al-Qaeda figures living openly in Kabul and militant group members forming the government are evidence of the threat.
The Defence Select Committee said: “Afghanistan is once again becoming a safe haven for international terrorism.”
The MPs warned thousands of people – including those who worked with British forces and diplomatic personnel eligible for evacuation flights – are still stranded there.
Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood said: “The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a dark chapter in UK military history.
“We need to get to grips with the factors that led to the Taliban’s swift return to power and the wider impact on global security.”
The Taliban is also battling against terrorist attacks from Islamic State. Senior members of the terrorist Haqqani network, including some who were on the FBI’s most wanted list, are in crucial roles inside Afghanistan’s government.
US and UK forces invaded Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in the US to smash those responsible – Al-Qaeda members, who the Taliban were shielding. But the allies left in 2021.
The committee demands that a Government inquiry is held into that move, “to take an unflinching look at where we went wrong”.
Mr Ellwood added: “It is only through this that we can learn the lessons and prevent this from ever happening again.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We owe a debt of gratitude to Afghan citizens who worked for, or with, the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan. We have relocated over 12,100 individuals.”
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