Melodi, what’s with the continuous 20,000 word essays? Those aren’t news stories, they’re magazines.
WAR Kabul Rescue Animal Evacuations updates - also other privately funded evacuations being stopped by the UK and US Governments
- Thread starter Melodi
- Start date
Melodi
Disaster Cat
For some time they were just about the only articles on this topic, again I thought you wanted mostly entire articles - and believe it or not I have cut some of them once they start repeating.
I'm sorry, but I try very hard to post under the directions that you are providing, this is a very important story to a number of people and I can't help it if only one paper carried a lot of the updates.
Now I am about to post a much shorter article on this from Sky News, but I only just now saw it so it is fairly recent.
In the future, if you prefer, I will only paste the first few paragraphs of the UK Daily Mail article, editing them (which I do, believe it or not) takes up to 10 or 15 minutes, but for certain stories like this one, I felt it was worth my time. And that 10 minutes includes using that function to only print text, but I still get miles of "watch this video" in the texts that I remove and side stories that I edit out.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
Now on Sky News - things are starting to look "real" but I will believe it when the plane takes off and he lands in the UK.
news.sky.com
Afghanistan: Pen Farthing and animals waiting for transport from Kabul airport, UK government says
Pen Farthing has been looking to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from Afghanistan but had faced opposition from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace - who said Afghans and troops must be prioritised.
By Rebecca Speare-Cole, news reporter
Friday 27 August 2021 20:40, UK
Image:Paul 'Pen' Farthing has been trying to get 200 dogs and cats evacuated from Afghanistan
A former Royal Marine trying to evacuate animals from Afghanistan has been helped through Kabul airport by UK armed forces and is now waiting for transport, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The government tweeted: "Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK Armed Forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation.
"On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government."
Afghanistan latest - live updates as UK's Kabul evacuation enters 'final hours'
Sources from the Ministry of Defence told Sky News Mr Farthing has had no preferential treatment and there has been no queue jump or u-turn.
They said: "The Defence Secretary always said we would facilitate a flight. If Pen had done this last Friday, then none of this would have happened."
Mr Farthing has been trying to evacuate some 200 dogs and cats from the country.
https://news.sky.com/story/afghanis...-no-more-people-to-be-called-forward-12391749
Earlier today, he tweeted he and his team got 300m into the airport grounds on Thursday evening, only to be prevented from travelling due to a change in paperwork rules by the US just hours earlier.
Mr Farthing said the group had been caught up in the chaos of the terror attack that killed British nationals, US troops and Afghan civilians queuing up outside the airport in hope of fleeing the Taliban.
"Went through hell to get there & we were turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions," the charity worker said on Twitter.
Since the Taliban swept to power, Mr Farthing and his supporters have been campaigning to have his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he dubbed Operation Ark.
Play Video - 'I have to prioritise people over pets'
'I have to prioritise people over pets'
However, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said evacuation efforts have been "diverted" by attempts to rescue Mr Farthing's animals and his supporters have "taken up too much time" of senior commanders who are dealing with the humanitarian crisis.
Mr Wallace used a series of tweets on Thursday to hit out at criticism from Mr Farthing's supporters and condemned "bullying, falsehoods and threatening behaviour" towards Ministry of Defence staff.
The defence secretary, when asked about his tweets, told LBC: "My people were focused for the last two weeks on a humanitarian crisis."
Image:Two paratroopers during the evacuation at Kabul airport, which comes to an end in the coming days. Pic AP
He said he has had to listen to "calls of abuse" to his advisers and officials, based on accusations that someone had blocked a flight.
"No-one blocked a flight," he said.
"Fundamentally, as we have seen on the media, there are desperate, desperate people, and I was not prepared to push those people out of the way for that.
Image:Crowds of people were waiting outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan when the explosion hit
"When people's time is right, they were called forward, and that's the right thing to do. But I hope he comes back, he was advised to come back, his wife came back last Friday, so I hope he does as well."
Mr Wallace said on Friday that Britain's evacuation effort in Kabul has entered its final hours and has largely ended processing new evacuees, with the Baron Hotel processing centre now closed.
Afghanistan: Pen Farthing and animals waiting for transport from Kabul airport, UK government says
Pen Farthing has been looking to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from Afghanistan but had faced opposition from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace - who said Afghans and troops must be prioritised.
news.sky.com
Pen Farthing has been looking to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from Afghanistan but had faced opposition from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace - who said Afghans and troops must be prioritised.
By Rebecca Speare-Cole, news reporter
Friday 27 August 2021 20:40, UK
Image:Paul 'Pen' Farthing has been trying to get 200 dogs and cats evacuated from Afghanistan
A former Royal Marine trying to evacuate animals from Afghanistan has been helped through Kabul airport by UK armed forces and is now waiting for transport, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The government tweeted: "Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK Armed Forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation.
"On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government."
Afghanistan latest - live updates as UK's Kabul evacuation enters 'final hours'
Sources from the Ministry of Defence told Sky News Mr Farthing has had no preferential treatment and there has been no queue jump or u-turn.
They said: "The Defence Secretary always said we would facilitate a flight. If Pen had done this last Friday, then none of this would have happened."
Mr Farthing has been trying to evacuate some 200 dogs and cats from the country.
https://news.sky.com/story/afghanis...-no-more-people-to-be-called-forward-12391749
Earlier today, he tweeted he and his team got 300m into the airport grounds on Thursday evening, only to be prevented from travelling due to a change in paperwork rules by the US just hours earlier.
Mr Farthing said the group had been caught up in the chaos of the terror attack that killed British nationals, US troops and Afghan civilians queuing up outside the airport in hope of fleeing the Taliban.
"Went through hell to get there & we were turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions," the charity worker said on Twitter.
Since the Taliban swept to power, Mr Farthing and his supporters have been campaigning to have his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he dubbed Operation Ark.
Play Video - 'I have to prioritise people over pets'
'I have to prioritise people over pets'
However, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said evacuation efforts have been "diverted" by attempts to rescue Mr Farthing's animals and his supporters have "taken up too much time" of senior commanders who are dealing with the humanitarian crisis.
Mr Wallace used a series of tweets on Thursday to hit out at criticism from Mr Farthing's supporters and condemned "bullying, falsehoods and threatening behaviour" towards Ministry of Defence staff.
The defence secretary, when asked about his tweets, told LBC: "My people were focused for the last two weeks on a humanitarian crisis."
Image:Two paratroopers during the evacuation at Kabul airport, which comes to an end in the coming days. Pic AP
He said he has had to listen to "calls of abuse" to his advisers and officials, based on accusations that someone had blocked a flight.
"No-one blocked a flight," he said.
"Fundamentally, as we have seen on the media, there are desperate, desperate people, and I was not prepared to push those people out of the way for that.
Image:Crowds of people were waiting outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan when the explosion hit
"When people's time is right, they were called forward, and that's the right thing to do. But I hope he comes back, he was advised to come back, his wife came back last Friday, so I hope he does as well."
Mr Wallace said on Friday that Britain's evacuation effort in Kabul has entered its final hours and has largely ended processing new evacuees, with the Baron Hotel processing centre now closed.
Melodi, I’m not slamming you. It’s just, well, damn.
You know?
You know?
Melodi
Disaster Cat
No, actually I don't but that's OK, I've been doing my best with this story nearly 24/7 for nearly a week, not just here but on Facebook and other platforms, I know that Seeker has too.
That along with all the other breaking news stuff that is so very stressful right now.
I find it hard to psychically intuit which titles you feel are too long and which articles you are going to find tedious and too long; and which ones you are going to be upset if the title has been modified or the article is not posted in full.
My rule with the Daily Mail (and even Sky News, the Guardian, or RTE) is to only post the more recent stuff and cut the articles off when they start repeating. But in a breaking situation, I don't always notice.
It's an extremely complex, fluid situation and not possible to cover the nuances in a couple of paragraphs. If it doesn't interest you, skip it!
Summerthyme
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
It has been my honor and my pleasure to work this story and I will continue to work here and other media until this is resolved. If it all holds together, the book and movie are going to be epic! The best dog and cat story ever. Pen Farthing already has one book out on Amazon and is another way to support NOWZAD.
Melodi, please correct me if I have this wrong, but over there across the pond, this is the biggest story since JFK got killed or we pulled out of Saigon, or Princess Diana died. It's been a huge row and that blew the story into the front pages and monitors all over Britain. Brits love two things: their animals and their soldier heroes. This story has both.
Melodi, please correct me if I have this wrong, but over there across the pond, this is the biggest story since JFK got killed or we pulled out of Saigon, or Princess Diana died. It's been a huge row and that blew the story into the front pages and monitors all over Britain. Brits love two things: their animals and their soldier heroes. This story has both.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
It is a big story, I wouldn't put it up with Diana (that was a total meltdown) but it is HUGE, and if there is one thing you don't mess with, in England/UK is their Dogs. Their military is probably on about the same level or maybe a quarter of an inch lower - dogs rule in Britannia!
And the UK Defense Minister just kept digging his hole deeper and deeper. I expect him to be canned at the next government "reshuffle" if not forced to resign before then.
It wasn't fair that his employees (who had nothing to do with it) were being catcalled and worse in the streets, but what could have been just a great feel-good story turned into a minute-by-minute nightmare that kept the nation absolutely gripped. Especially yesterday when they got to the airport and then were sent away.
We still don't know if the staff will get out, but at least Pip and the dogs(if not the cats) will. The dogs are the most in danger since dogs are seen as unclean animals and have brutal treatment in most Islamic Countries especially the poor ones with very little Western influance.
They use dogs for work like hunting or herding but they don't, in general, love them. Individuals can always vary and some of those people were the staff.
Hopefully there will be good news soon!
And the UK Defense Minister just kept digging his hole deeper and deeper. I expect him to be canned at the next government "reshuffle" if not forced to resign before then.
It wasn't fair that his employees (who had nothing to do with it) were being catcalled and worse in the streets, but what could have been just a great feel-good story turned into a minute-by-minute nightmare that kept the nation absolutely gripped. Especially yesterday when they got to the airport and then were sent away.
We still don't know if the staff will get out, but at least Pip and the dogs(if not the cats) will. The dogs are the most in danger since dogs are seen as unclean animals and have brutal treatment in most Islamic Countries especially the poor ones with very little Western influance.
They use dogs for work like hunting or herding but they don't, in general, love them. Individuals can always vary and some of those people were the staff.
Hopefully there will be good news soon!
Last edited:
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Pen and his animals are still alive. If, Gods forbid, this takes a turn for the worst, well... HUGE.
Sending lots of good energy and prayers and calling in a lot of favors. The next 48 hours will tell the tale. I dearly wish for this to be a good one with a wonderful outcome for people and animals.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
This one is urgent:
View: https://twitter.com/KSAnimalRescue/status/1431364608166608899?s=20
Charlotte is an American Citizen from Tennessee.
View: https://twitter.com/KSAnimalRescue/status/1431364608166608899?s=20
Charlotte is an American Citizen from Tennessee.
No worries. I’ve busted on DD too. He’s our resident super-mega-extra-wordy-essay guy….
Krayola
Veteran Member
Was he breaking any laws there?
parsonswife
Veteran Member
Pen Farthing is back in Uk
There were lots of tears when we said goodbye': Pen Farthing reveals relief at being able to escape Kabul with his 180 cats and dogs - but heartbreak at having to leave his Afghan staff behind
The 57-year-old told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport.
His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband and his furry friends were on their way home.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.
It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days.
A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.
Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain.
But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.
He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.
'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'
T
he Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.
It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces.
'They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'
Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks.
But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.
Soldiers helped him unload 125kg of dry pet food, 72 tins, 270 litres of water, 12 industrial size rolls of paper towel and 20 bottles of disinfectant in a warehouse.
Despite his misery at having to leave behind his staff, Mr Farthing's wife was chuffed he was on his way out.
Kaisa was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport. 'You should have seen the smile on my face,' she said.
Following Thursday's carnage, Kaisa knew her husband was planning another attempt to reach the airport – but had no idea when.
She said yesterday: 'He's now inside the airport and we had a quick video call. The second I saw him safely inside... you can imagine.'
Her husband and his animals escaping Kabul is the dream she has clung to ever since she was flown out of the city on a near-empty flight.
She learned Pen, having made it through Taliban checkpoints, had been finally allowed to board a flight with 150 rescue cats and dogs from his Nowzad charity – but he was forced to leave his staff members behind.
'I know Pen had a very hard choice. He faced that same choice when he was inside the airport with his staff and their families on Thursday and the animals and the staff were not allowed through,' says Kaisa.
'So, he went back to the compound to ensure everyone was safe and to discuss with them what to do. They decided he should go to the airport again with the dogs.
'He was devastated to leave his staff but knew that by removing both the dogs and himself he would remove two big risk factors.'
The founder of Kabul's Nowzad animal shelter, Paul Farthing – known as Pen – had been attempting to arrange a freedom flight in an operation dubbed 'Operation Ark'.
British soldiers helped load the animals on to a privately chartered plane last night as they prepared to return to the UK.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the group were 'assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK Armed Forces'.
Last night his supporter and animal rights campaigner Dominic Dyer told the Mail: 'Pen is OK, but he is very stressed.
'He has no choice but to leave and bring the animals with him. We are looking forward to getting them to the UK.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport
'We are very pleased we've got him out and are very grateful to the British Government for their help, and for the support of the Armed Forces.'
Understandably, Kaisa is wary of counting her chickens. 'I won't celebrate until he has landed,' she says. 'We're still working on solutions to evacuate the staff.
'The plane will be going to [the Uzbekistan capital] Tashkent but they don't know when.
'He only arrived outside the airport late this afternoon. It was quieter there because of Thursday's bombings.'
Kaisa was sitting at her mother's dining room table in a top borrowed from her sister and a newly bought pair of jeans.
She had fled Kabul with nothing but a toothbrush and some deodorant.
Even the book she had been reading was left behind on the table beside the double bed that, until ten days ago, she shared with Mr Farthing.
That they may soon hold each other again – and can start to plan their married life together – is enough to bring her to tears.
'I cried as I was leaving Kabul,' she says. 'I was one of the lucky ones. When I was in the Norwegian camp at the airport there were three kids – babies – I was playing with who'd been separated from their parents. We had to leave them behind.
'I thought, 'I won't see Kabul again. I might not see Pen again'. I was crying for those babies.
'What the f*** is this crisis about that we're leaving small kids behind who have no one?'
She showed a short video on her phone of the children playing at the airport. The soldiers and evacuees fussed over them.
Two days later, I heard Norway had decided to bring them [the babies] over here. I told Pen on the phone that the babies were in Norway now.
'His first reaction was 'tell them we want to adopt one'. I want kids with Pen.'
The hope in her voice could not be further removed from the distraught woman I'd spoken to earlier this week.
On Thursday she feared the worst when, having been advised by the British Government to go to Kabul's airport to board a charter plane to safety, Mr Farthing – along with his 25 staff, their immediate families and 150 crated cats and dogs – was turned away at the last moment.
'I was fearing for his life,' Kaisa said. 'I had this heavy feeling. When he was outside the airport I was afraid because I hadn't heard from him.'
His group had been caught up in the hellish scenes on Thursday as Isis-K bombs killed at least 170 people, including 13 US military personnel.
Pen and his staff were tear-gassed and shot at as they fled for their lives.
'When they got out he called me he said 'oh, Kaisa Jan [an Afghan endearment meaning 'dear'], hell just broke loose. I've had an AK gun in my chest twice now'.'
MoD sources last night made clear Mr Farthing and his convoy did not get preferential treatment and were not on board a military flight.
While Mr Farthing's supporters said he had been turned away by the Taliban on Thursday, sources said he may have gone to the wrong gate.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace initially dismissed Operation Ark, saying it would put 'people before pets' in the rush to flee Kabul.
He later agreed to 'seek a slot' for the plane carrying out the mercy mission, but insisted the convoy would not be able to jump the queue.
There were suggestions by Mr Farthing's supporters his change of tone was prompted by an intervention from Boris Johnson's animal-loving wife Carrie – but this was denied by Downing Street sources.
Asked if Mr Farthing had been a diversion to the overall evacuation mission, Mr Wallace yesterday told LBC: 'I think it has taken up too much time of my senior commanders dealing with this issue when they should be focused on dealing with the humanitarian crisis.'
But he added: 'I hope he comes back, he was advised to come back, his wife came back last Friday, so I hope he does as well.'
The only sadness for Kaisa now is that Pen has been forced to leave his beloved staff behind.
'When the Taliban took over Kabul, I thought 'if you have to put all the animals to sleep, do it'. There will be other dogs but you can't do anything if you're dead,' she says.
'But then I realised something. Pen has a mother, a brother and me. We are his three family members.
'Many of his staff have not gone home to their families during lockdown but stayed to help him.
'When there was a big kidnapping threat here a few years ago they wouldn't go home. They stayed in the office to protect him. They are his family.'
Meanwhile the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.......
www.dailymail.co.uk
There were lots of tears when we said goodbye': Pen Farthing reveals relief at being able to escape Kabul with his 180 cats and dogs - but heartbreak at having to leave his Afghan staff behind
- The 57-year-old told how his staff were stopped from crossing the Taliban line
- His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who was overjoyed
- It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a terrorist member
The 57-year-old told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport.
His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband and his furry friends were on their way home.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.
It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days.
A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.
Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain.
But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.
He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.
'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'
T
he Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.
It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces.
'They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'
Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks.
But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.
Soldiers helped him unload 125kg of dry pet food, 72 tins, 270 litres of water, 12 industrial size rolls of paper towel and 20 bottles of disinfectant in a warehouse.
Despite his misery at having to leave behind his staff, Mr Farthing's wife was chuffed he was on his way out.
Kaisa was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport. 'You should have seen the smile on my face,' she said.
Following Thursday's carnage, Kaisa knew her husband was planning another attempt to reach the airport – but had no idea when.
She said yesterday: 'He's now inside the airport and we had a quick video call. The second I saw him safely inside... you can imagine.'
Her husband and his animals escaping Kabul is the dream she has clung to ever since she was flown out of the city on a near-empty flight.
She learned Pen, having made it through Taliban checkpoints, had been finally allowed to board a flight with 150 rescue cats and dogs from his Nowzad charity – but he was forced to leave his staff members behind.
'I know Pen had a very hard choice. He faced that same choice when he was inside the airport with his staff and their families on Thursday and the animals and the staff were not allowed through,' says Kaisa.
'So, he went back to the compound to ensure everyone was safe and to discuss with them what to do. They decided he should go to the airport again with the dogs.
'He was devastated to leave his staff but knew that by removing both the dogs and himself he would remove two big risk factors.'
The founder of Kabul's Nowzad animal shelter, Paul Farthing – known as Pen – had been attempting to arrange a freedom flight in an operation dubbed 'Operation Ark'.
British soldiers helped load the animals on to a privately chartered plane last night as they prepared to return to the UK.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the group were 'assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK Armed Forces'.
Last night his supporter and animal rights campaigner Dominic Dyer told the Mail: 'Pen is OK, but he is very stressed.
'He has no choice but to leave and bring the animals with him. We are looking forward to getting them to the UK.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport
'We are very pleased we've got him out and are very grateful to the British Government for their help, and for the support of the Armed Forces.'
Understandably, Kaisa is wary of counting her chickens. 'I won't celebrate until he has landed,' she says. 'We're still working on solutions to evacuate the staff.
'The plane will be going to [the Uzbekistan capital] Tashkent but they don't know when.
'He only arrived outside the airport late this afternoon. It was quieter there because of Thursday's bombings.'
Kaisa was sitting at her mother's dining room table in a top borrowed from her sister and a newly bought pair of jeans.
She had fled Kabul with nothing but a toothbrush and some deodorant.
Even the book she had been reading was left behind on the table beside the double bed that, until ten days ago, she shared with Mr Farthing.
That they may soon hold each other again – and can start to plan their married life together – is enough to bring her to tears.
'I cried as I was leaving Kabul,' she says. 'I was one of the lucky ones. When I was in the Norwegian camp at the airport there were three kids – babies – I was playing with who'd been separated from their parents. We had to leave them behind.
'I thought, 'I won't see Kabul again. I might not see Pen again'. I was crying for those babies.
'What the f*** is this crisis about that we're leaving small kids behind who have no one?'
She showed a short video on her phone of the children playing at the airport. The soldiers and evacuees fussed over them.
Two days later, I heard Norway had decided to bring them [the babies] over here. I told Pen on the phone that the babies were in Norway now.
'His first reaction was 'tell them we want to adopt one'. I want kids with Pen.'
The hope in her voice could not be further removed from the distraught woman I'd spoken to earlier this week.
On Thursday she feared the worst when, having been advised by the British Government to go to Kabul's airport to board a charter plane to safety, Mr Farthing – along with his 25 staff, their immediate families and 150 crated cats and dogs – was turned away at the last moment.
'I was fearing for his life,' Kaisa said. 'I had this heavy feeling. When he was outside the airport I was afraid because I hadn't heard from him.'
His group had been caught up in the hellish scenes on Thursday as Isis-K bombs killed at least 170 people, including 13 US military personnel.
Pen and his staff were tear-gassed and shot at as they fled for their lives.
'When they got out he called me he said 'oh, Kaisa Jan [an Afghan endearment meaning 'dear'], hell just broke loose. I've had an AK gun in my chest twice now'.'
MoD sources last night made clear Mr Farthing and his convoy did not get preferential treatment and were not on board a military flight.
While Mr Farthing's supporters said he had been turned away by the Taliban on Thursday, sources said he may have gone to the wrong gate.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace initially dismissed Operation Ark, saying it would put 'people before pets' in the rush to flee Kabul.
He later agreed to 'seek a slot' for the plane carrying out the mercy mission, but insisted the convoy would not be able to jump the queue.
There were suggestions by Mr Farthing's supporters his change of tone was prompted by an intervention from Boris Johnson's animal-loving wife Carrie – but this was denied by Downing Street sources.
Asked if Mr Farthing had been a diversion to the overall evacuation mission, Mr Wallace yesterday told LBC: 'I think it has taken up too much time of my senior commanders dealing with this issue when they should be focused on dealing with the humanitarian crisis.'
But he added: 'I hope he comes back, he was advised to come back, his wife came back last Friday, so I hope he does as well.'
The only sadness for Kaisa now is that Pen has been forced to leave his beloved staff behind.
'When the Taliban took over Kabul, I thought 'if you have to put all the animals to sleep, do it'. There will be other dogs but you can't do anything if you're dead,' she says.
'But then I realised something. Pen has a mother, a brother and me. We are his three family members.
'Many of his staff have not gone home to their families during lockdown but stayed to help him.
'When there was a big kidnapping threat here a few years ago they wouldn't go home. They stayed in the office to protect him. They are his family.'
Meanwhile the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.......
Pen Farthing escapes Kabul with his animals but not his former staff
Pen Farthing's (pictured) chartered jet from Karachi, Pakistan, has arrived in Kabul to fly his 180 cats and dogs to safety.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
So it sounds like from that rather confused report (no fault of the poster) that he and most of the dogs and cats are in Uzbekistan, or hopefully have landed there.
That still would not be my first choice to quarantine the animals (and they will have to be quarantined for the EU, almost certainly) but hopefully, the UK or a closer EU Country like Poland will have the facilities to do this.
I am sure there will be a rush of adopters when their three to six months quarantine is over, if we didn't have too many rescue cats already, I'd put us on the list for a couple of the cats. But I'm sure they will get great homes, especially if they can get them to the United Kingdom.
Before pet passports, the UK had excellent quarantine facilities, our Norwegian Forest Cats had to spend six months in one and they were fine.
That still would not be my first choice to quarantine the animals (and they will have to be quarantined for the EU, almost certainly) but hopefully, the UK or a closer EU Country like Poland will have the facilities to do this.
I am sure there will be a rush of adopters when their three to six months quarantine is over, if we didn't have too many rescue cats already, I'd put us on the list for a couple of the cats. But I'm sure they will get great homes, especially if they can get them to the United Kingdom.
Before pet passports, the UK had excellent quarantine facilities, our Norwegian Forest Cats had to spend six months in one and they were fine.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
This is why there are no updates from Warpaws or KSAR (Kabul Small Animal Rescue).
The UK Daily Mail has not updated since he was left on the tarmac with the crates of animals waiting for the plane from Poland. Hopefully, the plane did make it to Uzbekistan or Poland and I am sure Seeker or I will update (or anyone else who sees anything) when we get any further information.
from facebook:
Mutt Mutt Engine is
asking for donations.
tSpo2n2esahodretd ·
Afghanistan Update: Quiet
With respect to the current situation on the ground in Kabul and for the safety of all, we are temporarily suspending our updates.
We will only resume when it is in the best interest of all - our colleagues, our military, and the many people imperiled by this circumstance.
At this time, the Kabul Small Animal Rescue staff and animals are safe.
Thank you for your incredible support, and your understanding.
The UK Daily Mail has not updated since he was left on the tarmac with the crates of animals waiting for the plane from Poland. Hopefully, the plane did make it to Uzbekistan or Poland and I am sure Seeker or I will update (or anyone else who sees anything) when we get any further information.
from facebook:
Mutt Mutt Engine is
tSpo2n2esahodretd ·
Afghanistan Update: Quiet
With respect to the current situation on the ground in Kabul and for the safety of all, we are temporarily suspending our updates.
We will only resume when it is in the best interest of all - our colleagues, our military, and the many people imperiled by this circumstance.
At this time, the Kabul Small Animal Rescue staff and animals are safe.
Thank you for your incredible support, and your understanding.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
This is why there are no updates from Warpaws or KSAR (Kabul Small Animal Rescue).
The UK Daily Mail has not updated since he was left on the tarmac with the crates of animals waiting for the plane from Poland. Hopefully, the plane did make it to Uzbekistan or Poland and I am sure Seeker or I will update (or anyone else who sees anything) when we get any further information.
from facebook:
Mutt Mutt Engine isasking for donations.
tSpo2n2esahodretd ·
Afghanistan Update: Quiet
With respect to the current situation on the ground in Kabul and for the safety of all, we are temporarily suspending our updates.
We will only resume when it is in the best interest of all - our colleagues, our military, and the many people imperiled by this circumstance.
At this time, the Kabul Small Animal Rescue staff and animals are safe.
Thank you for your incredible support, and your understanding.
If we had the information to track the plane Pen and his animals are on, the fine folk who run the
Bird Watching thread might could tell us if it landed safe?
Melodi
Disaster Cat
OK this was posted on Skynews.com about four hours ago but there are not updates there yet:
15:04
Charter flight for ex-Royal Marine and rescue animals arrives in Kabul
Pen Farthing has been trying to evacuate up to 200 dogs and cats from Afghanistan for days, dubbed Operation Ark.
It was reported earlier that a charter flight for Mr Farthing was delayed leaving Karachi in Pakistan.
However, Sky News understands the aircraft has now arrived in Kabul.
15:04
Charter flight for ex-Royal Marine and rescue animals arrives in Kabul
Pen Farthing has been trying to evacuate up to 200 dogs and cats from Afghanistan for days, dubbed Operation Ark.
It was reported earlier that a charter flight for Mr Farthing was delayed leaving Karachi in Pakistan.
However, Sky News understands the aircraft has now arrived in Kabul.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Pregnant Nowzad worker ‘stuck in hell hole camp’ after Kabul evacuation
Laura Parnaby, PA
Sun., August 22, 2021, 5:47 p.m.·2 min read
A heavily pregnant charity worker is stranded in a “hell hole prison camp” in Germany four days after an evacuation from Kabul, her boss has claimed.
Paul “Pen” Farthing, who owns Nowzad animal sanctuary, has said his 33-week pregnant manager is “terrified” and had told him there is “no system in place” at the camp, four days after boarding a flight which he said was supposed to take her to the United States.
Mr Farthing is a former Royal Marine who served in the Afghan province of Helmand in the mid-2000s.
He set up Nowzad animal sanctuary in the capital 15 years ago – which rescues dogs, cats and donkeys.
Pen Farthing, founder of animal rescue charity Nowzad (Nowzad)
His pregnant manager was one of the 25 Nowzad staff members he said he would not leave the country without, along with their dependents and animals.
But Mr Farthing said that despite being a US citizen who left on an American evacuation flight, she is now with 9,000 other refugees in a camp which he said does not have enough food supplies or toilets.
He told PA: “We’ve got thousands of people trying to leave Afghanistan because of a situation we created.
“The West created this, and I truly believe that getting my country manager out of Afghanistan was the right thing to do because I thought she’d be treated with dignity and a little bit of priority because she’s 33 weeks pregnant.
“But to see her now trapped in a hell hole prison camp… I can’t express how angry, upset, disappointed and disillusioned I am.
“She doesn’t even know exactly where she is right now.”
He added: “She’s scared, because what happens if she has the baby in that camp – have they got the right facilities, have they got anything set up, and what if there’s complications?”
One photo sent to Mr Farthing from his manager shows a large hall with camp beds closely packed together, while another shows a large number of people, many wrapped in blankets, apparently in a queue, next to a row of tents.
The rest of the Nowzad team, including Mr Farthing, are due to fly out from Kabul in the coming days, if they can get through the chaos at the airport, his campaigner Dominic Dyer has said.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the US Department of Defence have been contacted for comment.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/pregnant-nowzad-worker-stuck-hell-223057662.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZG9ncGlsZS5jb20vc2VycD9xPXBhdWwrcGVuK2ZhcnRoaW5nK2hvbWVjb21pbmcrOCUyRjI4JTJGMjEmc2M9U21QTTRFUlZmak93MTA&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACEBRunhQHFWRbbTD6jHWkKTRTK6fbSO60DsEDuOdRles5lMOQaD6Yz2COfYbrxn1K5RU6-IXLW3_uk1I4yWqHMgBMITtu606GS-R_IfJiR0CXN2xMfOK6hCqplRaVLSBu0cLU7mPFAH2Tzxha2jIATE4v20iXst1HhMeRcJK8ai
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Victor Larkhill has done a fantastic job covering this. He thinks Pen needs an OBE (?) and he needs to be Knighted. I so agree. In a world full of ugly, this man is a true Hero. He strategically withdrew with the animals but there is a good chance he will go back to collect his staff. More work to do.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
The UK Government "spin" machine is going now - there's a kind of "hit piece" in the UK Daily Mail where all previous reporting has been positive. I gather in the heat of the moment Pen might have said some rather nasty four-letter words about the Defense Secretary and promised to keep after him for the rest of his life (or some such).
Even if Pen did use a few unfortunate or even inflammatory words, in the heat of the moment I think many people would have exploded. He's just brought his people back under gunfire from near salvation, that had to have hurt.
Anyway, I have to wonder about this article, in the UK it is perfectly legal for the government to demand that papers run certain stories it is only illegal for me to specifically accuse one of being planted which I'm not doing only mentioning this law.
That's because it also says that "Pen landed last night in the UK with his animals" say WHAT?
If he did, none of the rest of us know about it and it means today didn't happen. With the PFOG of war that is possible (give out one story to confuse the enemy while doing something else), but I'm pretty sure we would know by now if he had landed in the UK 24 hours ago.
People can read this article here at the link if they want but I don't feel like spending 10 minutes editing it, I don't think frankly that it is worth it.
www.dailymail.co.uk
Even if Pen did use a few unfortunate or even inflammatory words, in the heat of the moment I think many people would have exploded. He's just brought his people back under gunfire from near salvation, that had to have hurt.
Anyway, I have to wonder about this article, in the UK it is perfectly legal for the government to demand that papers run certain stories it is only illegal for me to specifically accuse one of being planted which I'm not doing only mentioning this law.
That's because it also says that "Pen landed last night in the UK with his animals" say WHAT?
If he did, none of the rest of us know about it and it means today didn't happen. With the PFOG of war that is possible (give out one story to confuse the enemy while doing something else), but I'm pretty sure we would know by now if he had landed in the UK 24 hours ago.
People can read this article here at the link if they want but I don't feel like spending 10 minutes editing it, I don't think frankly that it is worth it.
Pen Farthing's abusive tirade at MoD official over flight revealed
Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials.
Tex88
Veteran Member
A cot and three squares in a German gymnasium gotta be better than being raped to death the Taliban, have your flesh eaten, and your skin sewn into their clothing. And that’s only if you were very very lucky and they did it in that order.
Last edited:
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
The UK Government "spin" machine is going now - there's a kind of "hit piece" in the UK Daily Mail where all previous reporting has been positive. I gather in the heat of the moment Pen might have said some rather nasty four-letter words about the Defense Secretary and promised to keep after him for the rest of his life (or some such).
Even if Pen did use a few unfortunate or even inflammatory words, in the heat of the moment I think many people would have exploded. He's just brought his people back under gunfire from near salvation, that had to have hurt.
Anyway, I have to wonder about this article, in the UK it is perfectly legal for the government to demand that papers run certain stories it is only illegal for me to specifically accuse one of being planted which I'm not doing only mentioning this law.
That's because it also says that "Pen landed last night in the UK with his animals" say WHAT?
If he did, none of the rest of us know about it and it means today didn't happen. With the PFOG of war that is possible (give out one story to confuse the enemy while doing something else), but I'm pretty sure we would know by now if he had landed in the UK 24 hours ago.
People can read this article here at the link if they want but I don't feel like spending 10 minutes editing it, I don't think frankly that it is worth it.
Pen Farthing's abusive tirade at MoD official over flight revealed
Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials.
Haters gonna hate. Meanwhile we all keep pulling in a good direction for best outcome.
I have spent hours trying to find updates on Charlotte Maxwell Jones and KSAR. I got nothin'. Starting to get genuinely worried. Get the lady and her critters on the bird and get her Home.
Looking at the hurdles the ministries are dealing with trying to get Christians out of there with the WH and State Dept. blocking efferts to rescue people, she has a tough row to hoe. Word went out a few hours back to all jump on NBC News and see if they couldn't do something. They wrote a piece a few days ago, but I can't find anything current.
The people running this shitshow are well and truly evil. Leaving people and animals in that place is monsterous.
Then she had NO BUSINESS GOING THERE. You pays your money and makes your choices.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
She lived there, for years and was the assistant manager of the animal shelter.
Also, all reports are this facility has rats, overflowing toilets, and other serious sanitation problems; enough to be hard on anyone but very dangerous for pregnant women.
Things had been relatively calm for nearly 20 years, Afghanistan was never considered "safe" but it wasn't considered really any more dangerous for people doing charity work than many parts of Africa and many places in the Middle East or Asia.
Twenty-Twenty hindsight is wonderful, a lot of people tried to get flights out as soon as Baghram airbase was handed over in the dead of night but it took some time to get the limited places on commercial flights. A lot of people caught at the airport when Kabul fell, had flights going out that day.
Tex88
Veteran Member
Germany took in a few million additional refugees since 2015 and they’re stacked to the rafters as far as housing and services are concerned. Went so far as to states confiscating county police stations and school gyms and turning them into temporary refugee housing.
It will be fine, even though not everyone will find accommodations in four star hotels.
It will be fine, even though not everyone will find accommodations in four star hotels.
Tex88
Veteran Member
Good news:
www.the-sun.com
Pen Farthing latest: Plane arrives in Kabul to collect ex-marine & dogs as second Brit killed in airport attack is named
Joseph Gamp19 minutes ago
FORMER commando turned animal rescuer Pen Farthing and his animals have been rescued from Kabul after the British Army helped him board a private plane.
The ex Commando, who has been battling to evacuate his staff and almost 200 rescue animals, was forced to turn away from an evacuation flight yesterday.
It happened as a suicide bomber detonated his device at Kabul airport on Thursday - killing at least 170 and leaving scores injured.
But now the 57-year-old is due to fly to Tashkent in Uzbekistan before returning to the UK .
He spoke to the Sun of his sadness at not being able to fulfill his promise to get his predominantly Afghan staff to safety as well.
He said: “It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind.
“Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren’t allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control."
Pen Farthing rescue 'will inspire TERROR as UK puts Afghans lower than dogs'
PEN Farthing’s rescued dogs are adjusting to life in quarantine after jetting into Heathrow from Afghanistan over the weekend. But the rescue mission itself has been heavily criticised for ma…
www.the-sun.com
Pen Farthing latest: Plane arrives in Kabul to collect ex-marine & dogs as second Brit killed in airport attack is named
Joseph Gamp19 minutes ago
FORMER commando turned animal rescuer Pen Farthing and his animals have been rescued from Kabul after the British Army helped him board a private plane.
The ex Commando, who has been battling to evacuate his staff and almost 200 rescue animals, was forced to turn away from an evacuation flight yesterday.
It happened as a suicide bomber detonated his device at Kabul airport on Thursday - killing at least 170 and leaving scores injured.
But now the 57-year-old is due to fly to Tashkent in Uzbekistan before returning to the UK .
He spoke to the Sun of his sadness at not being able to fulfill his promise to get his predominantly Afghan staff to safety as well.
He said: “It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind.
“Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren’t allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control."
Tex88
Veteran Member
Also at that Sun link above, just waaaay down:
TODAY, 18:32
PEN FARTHING’S PLANE LEAVES AFGHANISTAN WITH 173 DOGS AND CATS
His pet charity Nowzad confirmed tonight that the former Royal Marine is now "safely" out of Kabul, along with the rescued cats and dogs.
Nowzad revealed on Facebook: "We are relieved to confirm that Pen and the Nowzad animals left Afghanistan this afternoon and are now safe.
"However, we still have much to do as our wonderful team in Kabul were not allowed through the final barrier.
"It was a devastating blow to us. We are now working extremely hard to get them evacuated and will not rest until they too are safe.
"Our thoughts for now are with our staff and the many people and animals who have also been left behind."
TODAY, 18:32
PEN FARTHING’S PLANE LEAVES AFGHANISTAN WITH 173 DOGS AND CATS
His pet charity Nowzad confirmed tonight that the former Royal Marine is now "safely" out of Kabul, along with the rescued cats and dogs.
Nowzad revealed on Facebook: "We are relieved to confirm that Pen and the Nowzad animals left Afghanistan this afternoon and are now safe.
"However, we still have much to do as our wonderful team in Kabul were not allowed through the final barrier.
"It was a devastating blow to us. We are now working extremely hard to get them evacuated and will not rest until they too are safe.
"Our thoughts for now are with our staff and the many people and animals who have also been left behind."
Melodi
Disaster Cat
Yeah, real confirmation (I think) and it looks like he really is in the United Kingdom! This is only part of the text of the article best seen at the link. I will be shocked if they euthanize all the animals as they have been under proper veterinary care though of course, they will need a three to six-month quarantine, I am happy to help raise money for that as I'm sure many people are. If they do put all of them down, there will be a firestorm, it is totally possible that a few might have issues but this rescue (I believe) has managed to get pets into shape to send to veterans with PTSD in the past. The shelter had veterinarians on staff who are properly trained and would not have intentionally sent diseased animals. This is what quarantine is for, to give the animals a six-month hold before they enter the general population. - Melodi
www.dailymail.co.uk
Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow with his dogs and cats on a private charter plane from Kabul before 'jetting to Oslo to reunite with his wife' - but the animals 'could be destroyed if they're riddled with disease'
Ex-Royal Marine who founded animal rescue charity in Kabul has landed at Heathrow with his cats and dogs
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity
The 57-year-old's chartered landed in Kabul and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow
Ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, airport officials claimed
Tom Tugendhat criticised decision to use soldiers to evacuate animals while Afghans remain under threat
By JACK WRIGHT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:01, 29 August 2021 | UPDATED: 10:10, 29 August 2021
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An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow with his cats and dogs on a private charter plane from Afghanistan early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it has been claimed.
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport.
The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground.
Nearly 200 cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'.
MailOnline has approached Mr Farthing for further information. A spokesman for Heathrow declined to comment.
Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane.
But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. It was revealed yesterday that up to 150 British nationals and 1,100 Afghans who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan will be left behind in the country.
Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a vocal opponent of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticised the decision to use British troops to evacuate 180 cats and dogs while Afghan ex-UK staff are left fearing reprisals under Taliban rule.
'The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport and we've just used a lot of troops to get in 200 dogs,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'Meanwhile my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. As one interpreter asked me a few days ago, why is my five year-old worth less than your dog?'
When asked what his answer was to his interpreter's question, Mr Tugendhat replied: 'I didn't have an answer, what would your answer be?'
An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it is understood +12
'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes':...
'No one has any money': Taliban beat protesters with...
Major General Nick Carter, the head of the British Army, told the BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme that the army's 'priority has been to evacuate human beings,' amid anger over the decision to evacuate animals.
'We obviously worry about everything that needs to be evacuated, but of course these are very difficult times, and there are very difficult judgements to be made,' he said.
But in a blow to Mr Farthing, it emerged his animals will be locked up when he arrives in the UK. Officials said the dogs and cats face a four-month quarantine in kennels and catteries until at least Christmas.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport +12
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport
Earlier Mr Farthing revealed how 'depressing' it was that he was forced to leave his Afghan staff behind. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport yesterday.
His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband was on his way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.
It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days. A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.
Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain. But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.
He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.
'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'
The Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.
It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'
Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks. But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.
Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow before jetting to Oslo to see his wife
The ex-Royal Marine Commando is understood to have landed in London Heathrow Airport from Kabul early this morning before taking a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus.
Ex-Royal Marine who founded animal rescue charity in Kabul has landed at Heathrow with his cats and dogs
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity
The 57-year-old's chartered landed in Kabul and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow
Ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, airport officials claimed
Tom Tugendhat criticised decision to use soldiers to evacuate animals while Afghans remain under threat
By JACK WRIGHT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:01, 29 August 2021 | UPDATED: 10:10, 29 August 2021
2.1k
shares
514
View comments
An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow with his cats and dogs on a private charter plane from Afghanistan early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it has been claimed.
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport.
The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground.
Nearly 200 cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'.
MailOnline has approached Mr Farthing for further information. A spokesman for Heathrow declined to comment.
Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane.
But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. It was revealed yesterday that up to 150 British nationals and 1,100 Afghans who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan will be left behind in the country.
Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a vocal opponent of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticised the decision to use British troops to evacuate 180 cats and dogs while Afghan ex-UK staff are left fearing reprisals under Taliban rule.
'The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport and we've just used a lot of troops to get in 200 dogs,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'Meanwhile my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. As one interpreter asked me a few days ago, why is my five year-old worth less than your dog?'
When asked what his answer was to his interpreter's question, Mr Tugendhat replied: 'I didn't have an answer, what would your answer be?'
An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it is understood +12
'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes':...
'No one has any money': Taliban beat protesters with...
Major General Nick Carter, the head of the British Army, told the BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme that the army's 'priority has been to evacuate human beings,' amid anger over the decision to evacuate animals.
'We obviously worry about everything that needs to be evacuated, but of course these are very difficult times, and there are very difficult judgements to be made,' he said.
But in a blow to Mr Farthing, it emerged his animals will be locked up when he arrives in the UK. Officials said the dogs and cats face a four-month quarantine in kennels and catteries until at least Christmas.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport +12
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport
Earlier Mr Farthing revealed how 'depressing' it was that he was forced to leave his Afghan staff behind. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport yesterday.
His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband was on his way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.
It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days. A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.
Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain. But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.
He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.
'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'
The Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.
It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'
Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks. But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yeah, real confirmation (I think) and it looks like he really is in the United Kingdom! This is only part of the text of the article best seen at the link. I will be shocked if they euthanize all the animals as they have been under proper veterinary care though of course, they will need a three to six-month quarantine, I am happy to help raise money for that as I'm sure many people are. If they do put all of them down, there will be a firestorm, it is totally possible that a few might have issues but this rescue (I believe) has managed to get pets into shape to send to veterans with PTSD in the past. The shelter had veterinarians on staff who are properly trained and would not have intentionally sent diseased animals. This is what quarantine is for, to give the animals a six-month hold before they enter the general population. - Melodi
Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow with his dogs and cats on a private charter plane from Kabul before 'jetting to Oslo to reunite with his wife' - but the animals 'could be destroyed if they're riddled with disease'Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow before jetting to Oslo to see his wife
The ex-Royal Marine Commando is understood to have landed in London Heathrow Airport from Kabul early this morning before taking a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus.
Ex-Royal Marine who founded animal rescue charity in Kabul has landed at Heathrow with his cats and dogs
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity
The 57-year-old's chartered landed in Kabul and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow
Ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, airport officials claimed
Tom Tugendhat criticised decision to use soldiers to evacuate animals while Afghans remain under threat
By JACK WRIGHT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:01, 29 August 2021 | UPDATED: 10:10, 29 August 2021
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An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow with his cats and dogs on a private charter plane from Afghanistan early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it has been claimed.
Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport.
The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground.
Nearly 200 cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'.
MailOnline has approached Mr Farthing for further information. A spokesman for Heathrow declined to comment.
Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane.
But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. It was revealed yesterday that up to 150 British nationals and 1,100 Afghans who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan will be left behind in the country.
Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a vocal opponent of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticised the decision to use British troops to evacuate 180 cats and dogs while Afghan ex-UK staff are left fearing reprisals under Taliban rule.
'The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport and we've just used a lot of troops to get in 200 dogs,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'Meanwhile my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. As one interpreter asked me a few days ago, why is my five year-old worth less than your dog?'
When asked what his answer was to his interpreter's question, Mr Tugendhat replied: 'I didn't have an answer, what would your answer be?'
An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it is understood +12
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Major General Nick Carter, the head of the British Army, told the BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme that the army's 'priority has been to evacuate human beings,' amid anger over the decision to evacuate animals.
'We obviously worry about everything that needs to be evacuated, but of course these are very difficult times, and there are very difficult judgements to be made,' he said.
But in a blow to Mr Farthing, it emerged his animals will be locked up when he arrives in the UK. Officials said the dogs and cats face a four-month quarantine in kennels and catteries until at least Christmas.
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport +12
Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport
Earlier Mr Farthing revealed how 'depressing' it was that he was forced to leave his Afghan staff behind. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport yesterday.
His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband was on his way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.
It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days. A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.
Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain. But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.
He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.
'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'
The Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.
It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'
Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks. But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.
There is sooo much phog (of war). Until I see video, I am still not going to relax.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Please let this be the news we've been praying and working for:
View: https://twitter.com/IainTime/status/1431961743664766977?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/IainTime/status/1431961743664766977?s=20
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Alright, people- this is the third time. Charlotte at KSAR needs us to push once again.
Dana Srnková This just in from twitter… thy need our help one more time Original message NEED YOUR HELP ONE MORE TIME!!! @StateDept needs to grant OVERFLIGHT permits to cross borders or @CENTCOM needs to give a DIP NOTICE #OperationHercules if you have real contacts in either of these places we need them NOW tweet/email/call those @ orgs above! #lastchance
Dana Srnková This just in from twitter… thy need our help one more time Original message NEED YOUR HELP ONE MORE TIME!!! @StateDept needs to grant OVERFLIGHT permits to cross borders or @CENTCOM needs to give a DIP NOTICE #OperationHercules if you have real contacts in either of these places we need them NOW tweet/email/call those @ orgs above! #lastchance
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Go to the very bottom of the Tweet. Change.org has a petition up to Knight Pen Farthing.
He certainly deserves it- can US people sign this or only UK?
View: https://twitter.com/SusieKenward/status/1431990047365021707?s=20
He certainly deserves it- can US people sign this or only UK?
View: https://twitter.com/SusieKenward/status/1431990047365021707?s=20