Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Not the time to recognise Taliban as rulers of Afghanistan, UK defence secretary says, bracing for ‘significant’ migrant flows

Not the time to recognise Taliban as rulers of Afghanistan, UK defence secretary says, bracing for ‘significant’ migrant flows

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said London is yet to decide on whether to recognise Taliban militants as legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, while the government is focused on evacuations and is braced for a rise in migration. 

Wallace was asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley if he acknowledges that the Taliban has won the war.

“I don’t know if that’s a win. I acknowledge that the Taliban are in control of the country,” the secretary said. “I mean, you don’t have to be a political scientist to spot that’s where we’re at.”

The official said it was not yet the time to decide whether London should recognise the Taliban as the legitimate Afghan government. “I think there is a lot more to come before those decisions are made,” Wallace explained. “The proof of the pudding will be obvious in their actions rather than their rhetoric.”

Wallace said that the UK must work to “protect our people” on the ground amid the chaotic evacuations from Kabul, which was effectively overrun by the militants on Sunday. UK authorities evacuated 370 British nationals and Afghan support staff over the weekend, Wallace said, adding that 782 more Afghans will be airlifted within the next 24 to 36 hours.


The scenes of jubilant Taliban fighters entering the Afghan capital were reminiscent of when militants from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) captured large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014. The takeover by IS triggered a massive wave of refugees from the Middle East to Turkey and Europe.

“I suspect we will see significant migrant flows around the world,” Wallace told Sky News.

“The threat for our stability from migrant flows, organised crime, smuggling, terrorism is very, very important,” he said, declining to specify how many migrants the UK should expect.


The Taliban, which was toppled during a US-led invasion in 2001, captured 26 out of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals in just 10 days before reaching Kabul.

President Ashraf Ghani and several other high-ranking officials from the UN-backed government fled the country, as the militants declared victory in the war with Western forces that spanned nearly two decades.

The Taliban offensive intensified after President Joe Biden announced that US troops would leave the country by August 31.

The US initially invaded Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks with the goal of fighting Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups. The Taliban was quickly ejected from major cities, but the fighting has never stopped despite the presence of US soldiers and a peace deal signed in February 2020.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×