Nowzad vet team escapes Afghanistan to safety in Pakistan

Animal charity staff previously stranded in Afghanistan have successfully escaped into Pakistan after a campaign for extraction that began more than a month ago.

Kabul-based animal rescue charity Nowzad, led by founder Paul “Pen” Farthing, has been campaigning to get its veterinary staff out of the country since the Taliban took control of the government last month.

Now Mr Farthing has taken to Twitter to announce that the Nowzad team has successfully made it to Islamabad two weeks after the 170 animals in its care were flown out.

‘Bloody happy’

Mr Farthing wrote: “You did it. Operation Ark was a complete success. The Nowzad staff are now safely in Islamabad and in the care of the British High Commission. I am so bloody happy right now.”

Operation Ark lead vet Iain McGill said: “Mission Ark accomplished. Sixty-seven staff are safe over the border into Pakistan, through visa check, on road to, and now safely with, British High Commission in Islamabad. Mission accomplished.”