LEFT TO DIE
Dozens of dogs facing slaughter after being abandoned to the mercy of Taliban as US troops flee Afghanistan
DOZENS of dogs face being slaughtered by the Taliban after being abandoned during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Heartbreaking pictures show pooches left at the terror group's mercy at Kabul airport after the final US jet left Kabul on Monday.
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The dogs are being cared for by Kabul Small Animal Rescue (KSAR), which planned to evacuate the animals.
The animals were initially thought to be US military working dogs that had been abandoned after the last American flight left, though that was denied by the Pentagon who said they were in the care of KSAR.
A statement issued on its behalf by animal rescue organisation SPCA International, said efforts are underway to save 130 dogs.
Charlotte Maxwell-Jones, founder of Kabul Small Animal Rescue, had been forced to leave them at airport, says the group.
According to SPCA, the dogs were not allowed on board military aircraft and private charter aircraft were not allowed into Kabul to rescue the animals.
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The rescue organisation said: "Charlotte was informed that most of the KSAR dogs had to be released into the airport on August 30 as the airport was evacuated – turning once rescued shelter dogs into homeless strays.
"They were not given access to the flight we had secured to transport them out of the country."
The statement says the dogs are in an area of the airport used for housing employees but information about all of their whereabouts is unclear.
The SPCA said Kabul Small Animal Rescue is attempting to track down the dogs released.
Lori Kalef, the group's director of programs, said: “We are heartbroken that the aircraft we secured to transport the rescued dogs of Kabul Small Animal Rescue out of Afghanistan were not ultimately allowed to take the animals and their caretakers safely out of the country.
“Our team has been working around the clock and has exhausted every possible option and resource we could in our mission to rescue the dogs before the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"We’ll continue to do everything we can to evacuate Kabul Small Animal Rescue’s staff and animals from the country after August 31.
"We cannot thank our supporters enough for everything they’ve done to help the dogs and cats of Kabul and their caretakers.”
It had initially been thought the dogs were services dogs but that was denied by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
He tweeted: "To correct erroneous reports, the U.S. Military did not leave any dogs in cages at Hamid Karzai International Airport, including the reported military working dogs.
"Photos circulating online were animals under the care of the Kabul Small Animal Rescue, not dogs under our care."
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SPCA says it hasn't been been able to confirm whether the US military evacuated the 46 working dogs and pets belonging to fleeing Americans that it says had been under KSAR’s care when they left.
To add to the confusion, some of the 130 maybe former Afghan military working dogs, military website
It comes after Pen Farthing landed safely in London Heathrow on Sunday with his 173 dogs and cats.
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But the Nowzad Dogs founder, 52, has said he feels "no joy just guilt" after fleeing Afghanistan without his staff as he revealed the Taliban stabbed one of his dogs.
Nearly 200 animals he was travelling with from Kabul will now have to quarantine under UK law - although some could be put down if they are found to have any diseases.
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