British student, 21, ‘rescued from Kabul’ after going to Afghanistan on holiday

The student admitted he was “in a bit of a pickle” after becoming trapped in the Afghan capital
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A British student who claimed he was stuck in Kabul after booking a holiday to Afghanistan says he has been safely evacuated from the country.

Student Miles Routledge, 21, from Birmingham, admitted he was “in a bit of a pickle” after becoming trapped in the Afghan capital.

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At a glance: 5 key points

- Loughborough physics student Miles Routledge said he picked Afghanistan as a holiday destination after googling "the most dangerous cities to visit".

- The student described the holiday as “dirt cheap” and likes to explore the “worst places in the world” - including a trip to Chernobyl two years ago.

- Miles had been documenting his trip to the country via Twitch, a live streaming site, and on 4chan.

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- After the Taliban gained control of Kabul on Sunday, Miles alleged he had been abandoned by the British embassy, writing on Facebook that he’s in a “bit of a pickle”.

- He claims he was in a UN safehouse in Kabul after attempting to flee the city several times, according to reports in the Spectator.

What’s been said

Miles said online: "I was under the impression that the country wouldn’t fall for another month, so I thought it was going to be fine.

"I’d seen videos on YouTube of people going. I thought maybe the worst case would be food poisoning."

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Miles told his viewers on Sunday: "I was fully prepared for death, I accepted it.

"This trip has been a test of God. I’m very religious so I believe I’ll be looked after.

"Before I left I wrote a letter to my friends saying that if I died, not to feel guilty, that I would die happy and religious and proud."

Background

The Taliban’s offensive across Afghanistan has accelerated dramatically in recent days, with fighters taking the last major city, Kabul, on Sunday after the withdrawal of foreign troops and exit by the president.

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The city has reportedly descended into chaos, with thousands of foreign nationals and residents heading to the airport in an attempt to flee the country.

Several countries including the UK and US are now attempting to evacuate citizens using military aircraft.

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