Ex-Afghan soldier on the Taliban's 'kill list' warns British Army's withdrawal has left civilians in an 'uncontrollable fire' and feeling 'hopeless' as Islamists sweep across the country

  • EXCLUSIVE: Afghan's 'afraid for their lives' as they lose 'hundreds of troops daily'
  • There are fears that their government will collapse under pressure from Taliban
  • A former Afghan soldier warned civilians there feel 'hopeless' amid the fighting
  • It comes after Boris Johnson said 'most' British servicemen have left Afghanistan
  • Moscow revealed militants now control about two-thirds of Afghan-Tajik borderThe British Army's withdrawal from Afghanistan has left locals in an 'uncontrollable fire' as the Taliban sweeps across the country, an ex-solider on the Islamist's 'kill list' has warned.

    Afghan's are 'afraid for their lives' as they lose 'hundreds of soldiers every day' amid fears the government is about to collapse, the father from the Kabul area said.

    His desperate comments come after Boris Johnson confirmed 'most' British servicemen have left Afghanistan after a military presence of 20 years.

    In a statement to Parliament he vowed the withdrawal did not mean the UK would 'turn away' from the country's precarious position.

    But Russia revealed today militants now control about two-thirds of the Afghan-Tajik border as their surge continues.

    The foreign ministry spokesman said Moscow was ready to take 'additional measures' to 'prevent aggression' on its ally Tajikistan by the Taliban.

    Afghan's are 'afraid for their lives' as they lose 'hundreds of soldiers every day' amid fears the government is about to collapse, the father from the Kabul area said. Pictured: Afghan National Army soldiers at a checkpoint in the Guzara district of Herat province today

    Afghan's are 'afraid for their lives' as they lose 'hundreds of soldiers every day' amid fears the government is about to collapse, the father from the Kabul area said. Pictured: Afghan National Army soldiers at a checkpoint in the Guzara district of Herat province today

    Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland marked the drawn down of Operation TORAL last month with a flag lowering ceremony at the New Kabul Compound military base in the Afghan capital (pictured)

    Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland marked the drawn down of Operation TORAL last month with a flag lowering ceremony at the New Kabul Compound military base in the Afghan capital (pictured)

    Russia revealed today militants now control about two-thirds of the Afghan-Tajik border as their surge continues. Pictured: Taliban negotiator Shahabuddin Delawar points at a press conference in Moscow today

    Russia revealed today militants now control about two-thirds of the Afghan-Tajik border as their surge continues. Pictured: Taliban negotiator Shahabuddin Delawar points at a press conference in Moscow today

    One Afghan, a former solider who is on the Taliban's hit list, said locals feel 'helpless' as the Taliban sweep across the country.

    The father, who is in his 30s and asked not to be named, said people were scared for their future amid fears the government could collapse.

    He told MailOnline: 'The situation here is really bad and I am afraid of my future because the Taliban everyday they capture more districts and Government is about to collapse and we loss everyday hundreds of our soldiers.

    'So I am really afraid of my life and unfortunately I can't leave the country because there is no way for me.'

    He continued: 'Regarding how Afghan people think or feel about leaving of foreign forces in total they became hopeless for their future.

    'Now the war is very fierce in Afghanistan and the Taliban day by day get control of more areas and Afghan people they are unhappy from foreign forces because the foreign forces left Afghan people in an uncontrollable fire.

    'Now the Taliban become more powerful and they have found more supporters the supporters of the Taliban are those countries that are opposed the presence of American forces in the region.'

    He added: 'Taliban believes those people that they worked with foreigners they helped Americans and NATO forces to occupy Afghanistan.

    'The Taliban are not only after me they are after all those people that worked [with] foreigners and it will get more worse when they get the control of whole Afghanistan as they will search for them - now they are busy in battles.'

    One Afghan, a former solider who is on the Taliban's hit list, said locals feel 'helpless' as the Taliban sweep across the country. Pictured: An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier searches a man at a checkpoint in the Guzara district today

    One Afghan, a former solider who is on the Taliban's hit list, said locals feel 'helpless' as the Taliban sweep across the country. Pictured: An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier searches a man at a checkpoint in the Guzara district today

    The father, who is in his 30s and asked not to be named, said people were scared for their future amid fears the government could collapse. Pictured: Afghan security forces at a checkpoint in the Guzara district of Herat province today

    The father, who is in his 30s and asked not to be named, said people were scared for their future amid fears the government could collapse. Pictured: Afghan security forces at a checkpoint in the Guzara district of Herat province today

    Britain's PM Mr Johnson said yesterday 'most' British service personnel have already left Afghanistan.

    In a statement to Parliament he vowed the withdrawal did not mean the UK would 'turn away' from the country's precarious position.

    He admitted 'there could never be a perfect moment' to pull out all troops after a conflict that saw more than 450 service personnel lose their lives.

    But the UK's hand was forced by the United States' decision to withdraw its much larger force by September.

    The Ministry of Defence released images yesterday of troops from the Royal Regiment of Scotland lowering the Union Jack in Kabul last month. 

    The drawback of troops in recent weeks has emboldened the Taliban, and a series of victories for the extremists sparked warnings of the nation falling back into chaos.

    The 3rd Batallion Royal Scots led the Kabul Security Force (KSF) until late last month

    The 3rd Batallion Royal Scots led the Kabul Security Force (KSF) until late last monthMr Johnson told the Commons he could not comment on the exact timing of the withdrawal, but added: 'Most of our personnel have already left.'

    He added: 'I hope that no-one will leap to the false conclusion that the withdrawal of our forces somehow means the end of Britain's commitment to Afghanistan.

    'We are not about to turn away, nor are we under any illusions about the perils of today's situation and what may lie ahead.

    'We always knew supporting Afghanistan would be a generational undertaking and we were equally clear that the instruments in our hands would change over time.

    'Now we shall use every diplomatic and humanitarian lever to support Afghanistan's development and stability.'

    But as soon as this morning it emerged the Taliban had made ground on the Afghan-Tajik border amid a huge rise in tensions in the region.

    The Islamist group now control about two-thirds of the area, Russia's foreign ministry revealed.

    The Taliban appear to be winning the propaganda war with videos to prove they will welcome surrendering soldiers (pictured, Taliban fighters and villagers on March 2, 2020)

     The Taliban appear to be winning the propaganda war with videos to prove they will welcome surrendering soldiers (pictured, Taliban fighters and villagers on March 2, 2020)

    As soon as this morning it emerged the Taliban had made ground on the Afghan-Tajik border amid a huge rise in tensions in the region. Pictured: Leaders of the Taliban movement walk to a press conference in Moscow today

    As soon as this morning it emerged the Taliban had made ground on the Afghan-Tajik border amid a huge rise in tensions in the region. Pictured: Leaders of the Taliban movement walk to a press conference in Moscow today

    Taliban negotiator Suhail Shaheen speaks at the press conference in the Russian capital on Friday

    Taliban negotiator Suhail Shaheen speaks at the press conference in the Russian capital on Friday

    Foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said: 'We have noted a sharp rise in tension on the Afghan-Tajik border.

    'The Taliban movement quickly occupied a large part of border districts and currently controls about two-thirds of the border.' Moscow urged restraint.

    She warned Russia will take 'additional measures' to 'prevent aggression' on its ally Tajikistan and called on all sides to 'avoid spreading tensions outside of the country.'

    The Taliban said Friday they had captured a key border crossing with Iran, hours after Joe Biden issued a staunch defence of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    This week more than 1,000 Afghan troops fled into Tajikistan after a blistering offensive by the insurgents in the north of Afghanistan.

    Afghan authorities vowed to retake all the districts lost to the Taliban and deployed hundreds of commandos to counter the insurgents' offensive in the north.

    The fighting in the north has also forced Moscow to close its consulate in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

    Since 2001, 457 members of the British Armed Forces have lost their lives in Afghanistan, and more than 150,000 UK personnel have served in the country.

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