As the reality that he has been left behind in Kabul sets in, the tone of Ahmad Ahmadzai’s voice drops.
“Are you sure they can’t send a bus to get us in [to the airport]?” he asks.
Impossible. There are no British soldiers left; they have gone home, as has the ambassador, Laurie Bristow.
Mr Ahmadzai, a taxi driver from Glasgow, and his family are among hundreds of citizens left behind in Afghanistan after the UK’s evacuation efforts came to an end late on Saturday. He had been visiting family when the country fell to the Taliban.
As crowds gathered outside the Abbey Gate entrance to Kabul Airport last week, Mr Ahmadzai and his family tried to navigate the seething mass of bodies – both Afghan and foreign – all desperate to escape Taliban rule.
As a citizen, Mr Ahmadzai and his dependents were eligible to be evacuated to the UK, but the reality was that even getting into the airport was almost impossible. An automated email from the Foreign Office called them to assemble at the nearby Baron Hotel, but his email stood for little at Taliban checkpoints, and amid the swelling crowd.
“There were chances to get in only for myself. When I just looked back to my kids, I said, 'no, no, I'm not going to try this'. Because they were going to get squeezed and squashed in. I didn’t think I was going to see them alive again.”
On Thursday, under the baking heat, he was wading through the sewage canal that runs parallel to the gate, his seven-day-old baby in his arms and his four other children in tow. His wife had given birth on August 19 – Afghanistan’s Independence Day.
Fearful for the baby’s safety, he had given up for the day, as he had been forced to do the previous five days.
Five minutes later, as he walked away from the Baron Hotel where the UK was processing people for evacuation, a suicide bombing ripped through the crowd, killing more than 160 people, among them 14 US service personnel. Two British citizens were killed in the blast, later claimed by Afghanistan's ISIS affiliate – ISIS-K.
“If I was hanging about for five minutes more, I would have been, I mean, you know, I would have been dead,” says Mr Ahmadzai.
Mr Ahmadzai’s adult life has been bookended by the fall and rise of the Taliban. In 2001, as a 21-year-old, he fled Nangarhar as the US invaded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America.
It took him two years to reach the UK, where he faced attempts by the Home Office to deport him. Now, as he tries to work out how he might escape Afghanistan again, he has to deal with the same hardline militants that he fled 20 years ago.
Mr Ahmadzai received his British passport in 2020, almost 20 years after fleeing Afghanistan. His journey was complete, or so he thought. Today he speaks with a thick Glasgow drawl. He recently voted in Scottish elections for the first time. Yet the country he committed himself to barely returned his calls and emails – his email inbox is a mess of automated replies.
I was born in war, I grew up in war and I escaped the war. Now I’ve got to escape the war again
Ahmad Ahmadzai,
Afghan-born UK citizen
“I cannot explain the expression which I feel right now, and in the past seven days. The way they treated their citizens – they would barely answer the phone to me,” he says.
“The future of Afghanistan is going to be dark like it was between 1995 and 2001, I can tell.
“I was born in war, I grew up in war and I escaped the war. Now I’ve got to escape the war again.”
The National spoke to more than 40 UK citizens and their dependents, all now stranded in Afghanistan, fearful of the Taliban and exasperated at their government. Many said their calls and emails to the Foreign Office and British MPs had gone unanswered.
Others sat on hold to Foreign Office helplines for hours, building up charges of hundreds of pounds.
They spoke with despair for themselves and for their families, as it dawned on them that the UK’s mission to evacuate British citizens had wrapped up without them. The total number of UK citizens left behind is believed to be more than 150.
There is growing anger in Britain over the evacuation’s failings. On Sunday, it was reported that thousands of emails to the Foreign Office had been left unread, including cases flagged by senior government ministers, while those The National spoke to all said that the Foreign Office phone's lines had failed, or kept them on hold for hours. Several senior figures, including Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, have called for an inquiry into the exit.
The UK says more than 15,000 people have been flown out since August 14. Yet with more than 100 UK passport holders and more than 1,000 Afghans who worked for the British left behind, anger is unabated.
The evacuation of former British Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing and hundreds of his rescue pets has prompted deep resentment that animals were prioritised over UK citizens and vulnerable Afghans.
Azeem Ibrahim, a research professor at the Strategic Studies Institute and an expert on UK Foreign policy, said that the UK needed to work out alternative arrangements to help the citizens it had left behind.
“The government urgently needs to come up with a plan to get them out now that evacuation flights have stopped. It needs to step up discussions with neighbouring states,” he said.
As Mr Ahmadzai hides in a friend's house, his fury turns to emotion.
“If I get back, I'm going to tell the whole story. I'm going to show the videos and everything to the world,” he says, his voice breaking.
“I'm ashamed to be a British citizen.”
* Ahmad Ahmadzai’s name has been changed, as he is fearful of Taliban reprisals. The UK government has been informed of his real name.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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BLACK%20ADAM
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The%C2%A0specs%20
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UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
