Britain did not see Taliban takeover coming, Dominic Raab says

He added British intelligence had been tracking what was happening on the ground in Afghanistan “very carefully” after the United States decided to reduce its troops in the country

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab leaving 10 Downing Street after attending a Cobra meeting on Monday (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

The British Foreign Secretary has admitted the UK Government did not see the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan coming, adding it will have to engage with them in the future in order to hold them to account for their actions.

Dominic Raab said several nations were “caught off-guard” by the quick and hostile nature of the militant group’s takeover, which has prompted Afghans to flee the country.