Britain’s evacuation effort in Afghanistan is “now for hours, not weeks,” the defense secretary said.
Ben Wallace admitted that Britain’s involvement would cease when the United States left Afghanistan, expected on August 31.
“The Prime Minister will, of course, at the G7 try to raise the prospect of seeing the United States extend,” he said during a visit to Port George, near Inverness.
“It’s really important for people to understand the United States has over 6,000 people at Kabul airport and if they withdraw that will take the framework away, and we have to go too.
“I do not think there is a probability to stay after the US. If their schedule is extended by one or two days, it will give us one or two more to evacuate the people.
“Because we’re hours now, not weeks, and we have to make sure we use every minute to get people out.”
A spokesman said Britain needed to be “flexible” in its approach and it did not set a tough deadline for when evacuations would stop, although stays beyond 31 August need to be discussed with the G7.
The virtual talks come as Afghans and foreigners fill Hamid Karzai International Airport and take desperate offers to take over the Taliban.
At least 20 people have been reported killed in the airport chaos in the past week, most during shootings in Stampede.
US and international forces controlling the site are trying to ease evacuation efforts while Taliban fighters have been deployed outside the airport.
Army Secretary James Heappey and other British officials have told British media that they are pushing for an extension while recognizing that the Taliban have a significant sentence now that they control Afghanistan.