The Home Office has confirmed that it has completed an investigation into an Afghanistan refugee who was reported to be a potential person of interest.
On Monday evening, reports circulated that someone who was evacuated out of Kabul after the Taliban took control of the Asian country less than two weeks ago was flagged as a person of interest to national security, which sought an investigation from security services and the police.
The Home Office said it carried out stringent national checks, but concluded that the individual was not a person of interest to security agencies or law enforcement.
The UK has evacuated more than 7,000 people from Afghanistan as part of the rescue mission.
A statement on the Home Office’s official Twitter account read: “There have been reports of an individual arriving from Afghanistan who was flagged to the Home Office as part of our stringent national security and public safety checks involving the police, security services and others.
“However, upon further investigation, they are not a person of interest to the security agencies or law enforcement.
“These stringent checks are in place to keep the British people safe.”
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Operation Pitting, the military evacuation that began on Friday August 13, has so far extracted 7,109 people out of Kabul.
The figure includes embassy staff, British nationals, those eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) programme and a number of nationals from partner nations, the MoD said.
It said Operation Pitting has seen more than 4,226 Afghan individuals and their families evacuated.
More than 1,000 UK Armed Forces personnel have been deployed in Kabul.
The MoD said the evacuation process will run as long as the security situation allows in co-ordination with the US.
No firm date has yet been set for the end of evacuation flights, it added.
The MoD said the Armed Forces have continued to fly in and distribute aid to support UK and Afghan nationals going through the evacuation process, including providing water, baby wipes and pre-made baby milk, sanitary packs, blankets and colouring books.
Earlier on Monday, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the Kabul evacuation effort is “down to hours now, not weeks” as he conceded Britain’s involvement will end when the US leaves Afghanistan.
US President Joe Biden signalled on Sunday that he did not want US armed forces to stay beyond August.
G7 leaders are due to meet virtually on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
On Monday morning the armed forces minister, James Heappey, said approximately 1,800 UK nationals and more than 2,200 Afghans who helped British forces are the “focus” of the Government’s evacuation efforts from Afghanistan.
Mr Heappey said 1,821 people had been evacuated on eight flights in the past 24 hours.
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