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British Student Who Got Stuck On Holiday In Afghanistan Has Been Rescued

British Student Who Got Stuck On Holiday In Afghanistan Has Been Rescued

Miles Routledge, 21, has been evacuated from Afghanistan and is now in Dubai

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

A British student who travelled to Afghanistan on holiday has been evacuated to Dubai after being forced in to hiding by the advance of the Taliban.

Loughborough University student Miles Routledge, 21, received widespread attention and criticism on social media having travelled to the country on a planned trip last week despite the extremist group's gains in the nation.

Mr Routledge had shared updates about his experiences over recent days as the Taliban seized the country, including claims he had encountered the group's members, seen dead bodies in the street and shielded from gunfire in a Nato-controlled safe house.

On Tuesday he then told followers that he had got a place on a list for evacuation from Kabul, and hours later posted a video of himself and dozens of others landing in what he described as a British Army plane.

Taking to Facebook, he wrote: "The happy ending: landed in Dubai thanks to the brilliant people at the British army. All safe!"

PA

A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed UK military flights had been carried out from Kabul to Dubai around that time, but was not able to verify whether the footage was filmed on board one of them.

It came amid chaotic scenes at the city's nearby airport, where hundreds of people attempted to board a US Air Force plane, with several plunging to their death as it took off.

Gunshots were also fired at the scene and at least seven people died as the chaos unfolded, US officials said.

PA

In voice notes sent by Mr Routledge on Monday afternoon, rapid gunshots akin to machine gun fire could be heard in the background.

He explained: "It's constant at some points. It's coming from the airport. Right now it's very close, no more than 100m from our compound."

In a WhatsApp message, he said: "Ngl [not going to lie], you get used to it, it's like this at night. I'm just ready to run with a backpack at a moment's notice."

Mr Routledge, a physics student who also works in wealth management, went viral online after posting messages on Facebook, streaming site Twitch and the 4chan discussion board about his trip to the country.

He arrived in Kabul this week as an alternative to a beach holiday, having looked up the most dangerous places to visit in the world and picked it off a list.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News