UK fears Afghan reprisals

The United Kingdom faces the greatest terror threat in years from the crisis in Afghanistan, a former British Army commander has said.

Colonel Richard Kemp warned Boris Johnson that Britain faces an "extremely dangerous" situation - and the terror risk could be greater than at the height of the Islamic State. Many other experts feel the same.

The Prime Minister suggested that the UK could form diplomatic ties with the Taliban if they cease terror tactics in the country. But that statement seems naïve as well as highly unlikely.

But Col Kemp, a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, said that the Taliban "will allow and probably encourage jihadists to pour into the country from around the world, who plan, meet, prepare, train, organise and carry out strikes against the West from Afghanistan".

He warned that the UK faced "the greatest danger from terrorism since Islamic State at its height" and the threat could be bigger than posed by Isis.

The British government has been heavily criticised over the handling of the evacuation efforts since the Taliban seized power. Around 15,000 people have been airlifted to safety in the UK in chaotic scenes as Western forces withdrew after a 20-year campaign but thousands have been left at the mercy of the Taliban.