Now that he has safely returned, the former U.K. Royal Marine who led a well-publicized effort to save nearly 200 cats and dogs abandoned in Afghanistan has not brought his employees who were left behind in Kabul with him. The “Operation Ark” campaign in the United Kingdom has polarized the nation and reached the highest governmental echelons.
Farthing started the Nowzad charity after spending 15 years assisting British soldiers in Afghanistan. Nowzad urged followers to encourage Ministers to help the Nowzad team get authorization to go on a rescue operation.
On Sunday, August 29, Pen Farthing announced via Twitter that he had reached Heathrow Airport after his Operation Ark campaign, which he and his followers tried to organize for the evacuation of both personnel and their families and animals, had been “partially successful.” The trip was permitted despite some criticism over the preference for animals over humans. Pen Farthing was on a chartered private jet when it touched down at London’s Heathrow Airport on Sunday, bringing an end to a story that split Britain and brought up difficult questions regarding the value of human and animal life.
He says he feels “sorry” about leaving his crew behind, even if they have not returned home yet. Later on, he acknowledged that he is still assisting with the evacuation for the employees and their families.
A Chronology of Previous Events
August 15
The capital was taken over by the Taliban after they marched to Kabul. Celebrities pushed Boris Johnson to help the trapped Nowzad workers in Afghanistan as part of the rescue operation campaign, which resulted in the Ark Campaign.
August 23–25
Boris Johnson supports Operation Ark and ensures that workers at Nowzad are granted visas. On social media, Farthing posted pictures of his departure from Kabul Airport with his canine companions. Additionally, his supporters advocated for British assistance in Operation Ark. Supporters of Nowzad said that a privately chartered Airbus A330 was waiting to be funded by contributions and fly to Kabul to rescue the workers and crew of Nowzad.
Numerous celebrities showed support for Farthing. Some perceived his actions as a distraction from the UK’s objective to rescue 15,000 civilians from Afghanistan and Britain.
Farthing also threatened to “spend the rest of my time… destroying you on social media” in a vulgar note he left for a senior defense official, accusing him of “blocking” the evacuation, as reported by the Sunday Times. The Minister of Defence, Ben Wallace, tweeted that he would create space for Farthing’s jet and that, should he arrive without the animals, he might board an RAF aircraft.
August 26
According to U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Wallace, Farthing had support from the government, and Operation Ark’s campaign led to internet abuse of military personnel. The massive evacuation efforts, which put people before animals, absorbed the authorities’ time. Additionally, he had previously said that he would never place animals “in true danger” ahead of people.
Before the caravan of Nowzad people and animals could reach the airport, it was stopped for ten hours by Taliban soldiers. Nevertheless, he was granted safe exit from the nation together with his employees and their families. However, because to safety concerns, a flight scheduled to transport rescue people and animals from a charity to Afghanistan from Luton Airport was canceled. Near the airport in Kabul, a suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying Farthing, this staff, and the animals, killing at least 169 Afghans and 13 US soldiers.
The group had been trying to get to safety for days when the British military cleared the leased jet.
August 29
According to the MoD, Mr. Farthing and his animals received assistance from the U.K. Armed Forces via the Kabul airport. On Saturday night, Mr. Farthing and his animals left Afghanistan. The final British flight out of Afghanistan landed on Saturday. On this day, the United Kingdom’s 20-year military occupation of Afghanistan came to an end.
Employees of Nowzad were unable to board an airplane bound for the United Kingdom because they were unable to reach the front line at the airport. According to Nowzad, U.S. President Joe Biden turned down their request because he had changed the documentation requirements just two hours prior to their arrival. Farthing makes mention of that
“Everyone was astonished, grieving, and crying. As soon as the staff members showed up, they urged me to go get the animals out.
In addition, he expressed regret to the Defense Secretary, whom he charged with “obstructing” the flight’s planning. “Getting the animals out was part of the mission, but it was not the full one,” he continued. After that, his crew tweeted that they were still in Afghanistan but were safe and that they were amazed by what had happened the day before.
Now, where are the animals?
After being transported in a shipping container, every animal reached London in perfect condition. While any ailments were looked into, the animals were kept in quarantine kennels. Dozens of animals rescued by former British Royal Marine Pen Farthing have found new homes at shelters across the United Kingdom since their departure from Afghanistan. Employees at the Lozzas Lurcher Rescue Center in Hertfordshire, southern England, praised the puppies as their “precious cargo,” according to pictures shared on social media.
Since there are so many alternatives, the team finds it easy to find new homes for the animals that have previously been adopted. Mr. Farthing said that five cats died on the first leg of the journey. He said that the stress of the relocation caused the cats to pass away.
The majority of the 100 dogs and 70 cats on the aircraft were kept in cages and in good health, according to Dominic Dyer, an animal welfare activist and admirer of Mr. Farthing.
H/T : Ozzackk.com
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