Afghanistan: Pen Farthing’s vehicle targeted by shooter after Kabul surge

An ex-Royal Marine who was near to the fatal surges near to Kabul airport has stated his lorry was targeted by a shooter in the middle of the turmoil.

Pen Farthing, who established the Nowzad animal shelter, is intending to get 200 dogs and cats out of the country alongside his staff.

He was outside the airport in a car when the terror attack happened, killing at least 13 people, including children.

He said: ‘We’re fine but everything is chaos here at the moment.

‘All of a sudden we heard gunshots and our vehicle was targeted, had our driver not turned around he would have been shot in the head by a man with an AK-47.

‘We’ve been in the airport, and back out of the airport; the whole thing’s a mess.

‘There’s not much more I can say at the moment, I need to make sure the animals and everyone is safe.’

At least two explosions are believed to have gone off as thousands waited outside Kabul airport to be evacuated.

The first explosion outside the Baron Hotel is believed to have been a suicide bomber, while the second blast at nearby Abbey Gate was likely a car bomb, defence sources said.

A US official has said the attack is ‘definitely’ believed to have been carried out by the Islamic State group.

Up to three US troops are believed to have been injured in the explosions, as well as Taliban guards.

Boris Johnson will chair an emergency COBRA meeting later this afternoon to discuss the crisis.

It is not yet clear how the incident will impact efforts to evacuate foreign nationals and Afghans out of the country.

Mr Farthing said this morning that he had been stuck outside Kabul airport with his animals and staff for 10 hours.

He made a midnight dash to the airport with his 25 Afghan staff and their families after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace agreed to let him land a private charter flight, funded by donations, to fly them all to Britain.

There had been criticism about prioritising animals over people, but approval was given for the flight.

However, a plane expected to fly from Luton Airport to rescue the crew had to be cancelled today amid safety concerns.

Wildlife campaigner Dominic Dyer told the BBC the volatile situation in the country meant the mission was ‘too dangerous’ and that the private flight company ‘could not enter Kabul airspace safely’.

He said a plane in a country neighbouring Afghanistan will now be used to get them out of the capital, but it could only land once Mr Farthing was inside the airport.

Mr Farthing made a direct appeal to the Taliban on Twitter earlier today, asking them to let his crew through.

Since the Taliban takeover in the capital, Mr Farthing has actually campaigned to have his personnel, their households and the animals flown out in a charter aircraft, in a strategy he has actually called OperationArk

.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated previously today he was not prepared to prioritise animals ahead of individuals‘in real danger’ He then stated if the charity’s creator got to the airport with his personnel and animals, he would look for a slot for the chartered flight.

Speaking to Sky News on Thursday early morning, the Armed Forces Minister James Heappey stated British soldiers can stagnate ‘desperate Afghans’ out of the method to bring the previous Royal Marine to the front of the line at Kabul airport.

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