UK to double humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan: PM Johnson

London [UK] August 18 (ANI): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday informed that the government has decided to double the humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan amid the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

“The UK will double the amount of its humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan, bringing it to a total of 286 million  pounds,” (USD 393.3 million) Johnson said while addressing the house of parliament, Sputnik reported. Johnson also informed that the UK will also deploy additional 800 troops to support the Afghan evacuation and assured the parliament that the “government will continue this operation for as long as conditions at the airport allow.”

Meanwhile, opposition parties also supported Johnson’s decision to deploy troops. In his further address to the parliament, Johnson emphasized that the world must face the reality of regime change in Afghanistan. “We must face the reality of a change of regime in Afghanistan. As president of the G7, the UK will work to unite the international community by a clear plan for dealing with this regime in a unified and concerted way, it would be a mistake for any country to recognise the new regime in Kabul prematurely or bilaterally,” Sputnik reported citing PM Johnson.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday froze about USD 9.5 billion of Afghan reserves to keep cash away from the Taliban after it captured Afghanistan. In another recent development, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who has publically endorsed the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan said that his country is reaching out to all “Afghan leaders” and urged other countries to “stay engaged”, to economically support people in the war-ravaged country

The Taliban leaders are discussing future government plans in Doha and are in touch with the international community and intra-Afghan parties to make government in Afghanistan. The world is closely watching the unfolding situation in Afghanistan as the countries have scrambled to evacuate its citizen from Afghanistan in an attempt to secure their people. (ANI)