By Lucy Caulkett-
The Duke of Cambridge has been praised for helping an Afghan officer he knew at military college get his family out of Afghanistan and onto a UK-bound plane, it has emerged.
Prince William intervened following the chaotic scenes outside Kabul airport last month as people tried to get through the gates and onto flights.
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Well known figures are generally not known to intervene on behalf of someone in their past, in this case, in college.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the Afghan, who was a fellow Sandhurst officer cadet with the duke, is believed to have served with his country’s national army and been integral to the British military operation in Afghanistan.
The Afghan’s role meant his family of over 10 people who were reportedly eligible to leave, were in potential danger, but could not get past the airport crowds to board a plane to the UK.
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However, after Prince William heard about the difficulties facing his military colleague, the duke tasked his equerry, Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon, to make some calls on his behalf to help the Afghan officer and his family access the airport after he heard about his plight. The move by Prince William shows the very warm and thoughtful side the Duke Of Cambridge.
Over 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK since August 13.
Following his rescue, former paratrooper Major Andrew Fox, said the duke’s intervention was ‘fully in line with what we get taught in the Army in terms of values’.
He told The Daily Telegraph: ‘I myself got 2 Para to rush out into the crowd and grab someone for me.
‘It’s fully in line with what we get taught in the Army in terms of values, loyalty, respect for others, all that good stuff. We’re trained to help where we can.
‘The situation was so chaotic and was so, frankly, mismanaged, that people would do whatever they could to get out.’
But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, are feared to have been left behind.
After graduating from St Andrews University, William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an officer cadet and was commissioned as an Army Officer in December 2006.
He later served with the RAF as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Following his rescue, former paratrooper Major Andrew Fox, said the duke’s intervention was ‘fully in line with what we get taught in the Army in terms of values’.
He told The Daily Telegraph: ‘I myself got 2 Para to rush out into the crowd and grab someone for me.
‘It’s fully in line with what we get taught in the Army in terms of values, loyalty, respect for others, all that good stuff. We’re trained to help where we can.
‘The situation was so chaotic and was so, frankly, mismanaged, that people would do whatever they could to get out.’
According to reports, many Afghan residents are already fleeing through Pakistan to the east and Iran to the west. The US and UK are still working on arrangements to allow people to be evacuated from these neighbouring countries.
The departure of American troops has led to severe criticism of the the Biden administration. Now, the Taliban is back in power , there is panic and uncertainty among the Afgahns.
In a statement, Biden said the world would be watching how the Taliban behaved.
‘The Taliban has made commitments on safe passage and the world will hold them to their commitments,’ he said, adding that negotiations continued to keep the airport open and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
He added that he would address the nation on Tuesday and that his military chiefs had agreed the evacuation should not be extended beyond the deadline.
‘Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops, and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead,’ he said.
Kensington Palace declined to comment.
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