A hero soldier has been granted permission to bravely rescue 200 dogs and cats from Kabul amid the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. Per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9925167/Ex-Royal-Marine-Pen-Farthing-able-airlift-staff-200-animals-Kabul.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>, former Royal Marine Pen Farthing says Prime Minister Boris Johnson has approved a flight he had crowdfunded to evacuate cats and dogs from the capital city. In addition to these animals, he also intended on transporting 68 staff members from his animal rights organization <a href="https://www.nowzad.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nowzad</a>. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/PenFarthing/status/1429669328081887234]] Farthing announced the UK government had granted visas for all his staff and their dependants (approximately 68 people) to evacuate Kabul in a privately chartered Airbus A330, in a mission referred to as "Operation Ark." However, these efforts appeared to have been frustrated when the British Ministry of Defence seemingly stopped his privately funded commercial plane landing in the Kabul military airfield. Writing in a tweet to his 49,000 followers on Twitter, Farthing stated: "I have been left to fend for myself in Kabul. Cut off from my #MoD support line by the special advisor to @benwallacemp. [sic]" He added: "22 year Marine left behind lines.. neither my staff or animals will now get out - cheers @BorisJohnson. [sic]" [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/PenFarthing/status/1429915055483723786]] The 52-year-old soldier later took to Twitter to accuse Defense Secretary Ben Wallace of blocking his plane. Farthing tweeted: <blockquote>"I am staying with my staff and animals. I'll get them in that airport and I will get my flight in. You picked on the wrong person to back down @BWallaceMP – I served 22 years as a @RoyalMarines We don't quit. [sic]"</blockquote> [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1430065669819748358]] However, in a subsequent interview with <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-fresh-hope-for-ex-marine-pen-farthings-bid-to-rescue-200-dogs-and-cats-from-kabul-12390043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sky News</a>, Wallace defended himself from Farthing's accusations; stating that he should have left the country with the Royal Air Force. Wallace stated: "He could get through the gates as a British passport holder. He was called forward on Friday and I recommend he takes that. "I am not prepared to prioritize pets over people. I want people to come through that flow." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/domdyer70/status/1430101001600708611]] Speaking in a previous interview with <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/pen-farthing-ex-marine-kabul-rescue-flight-blocked-ben-wallace-afghanistan-pets-people-1164765" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iNews</a>, Farthing expressed his fears for young women left to fend against the Taliban, stating: "My staff have teenage daughters and I can't even comprehend what is going to happen to young female Afghans. "Married off to a Taliban fighter and forced to basically be a baby-making machine. The West has allowed this to happen." <h6>Featured Image Credit: Planetpix / Alamy</h6>

Hero soldier gets official approval to rescue 200 dogs and cats from Kabul amid Taliban takeover

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