Un fost militar a reușit să evacueze 200 de câini și pisici din Afganistan // FOTO

Evacuările cetățenilor străini din Afganistan se apropie de final, iar printre cei care au anunțat că vor să părăsească țara controlată de talibani se numără și un fost soldat britanic, fondatorul unei organizații caritabile pentru protecția animalelor.

Farthing a luptat în Afganistan după anul 2000. După ce și-a încheiat activitatea în armata britanică, el a înființat la Kabul adăpostul pentru animale Nowzad, salvând sute de câini, pisici și măgari. După ce talibanii au preluat controlul țării, britanicul a cerut să fie evacuat alături de angajații lui, precum și familiile acestora, dar și aproximativ 160 de câini și 40 de pisici – un plan pe care l-a numit „operațiunea Arca”, scrie Digi24.

Astfel că, odată cu soldatul britanic, au părăsit Afganistanul și aproximativ 200 de câini și pisici. Animăluțele au fost urcate într-un avion privat, închiriat din Pakistan, care a ajuns în Kabul duminică, în jurul orei 18.00. Câteva ore mai târziu, aeronava a ajuns pe Aeroportul Heathrow din Londra, de unde bărbatul în vârstă de 57 de ani a luat apoi un zbor de legătură către Oslo pentru a-și vedea soția, Kaisa Markhus, care a fugit din Afganistan săptămâna trecută.

„Am sosit la Heathrow cu succes. Emoții amestecate și un adevărat sentiment profund de tristețe pentru afgani. Centrul Heathrow Ops, Forțele de frontieră, HARC și Air Pets au fost toate uimitoare. Am asistat la compasiunea pe care Heathrow o arată refugiaților afgani.", a scris Farthing pe Twitter.

Potrivit The Guardian care citează un medic veterinar, animalele sunt foarte bine, „având în vedere prin ce au trecut”. Fostul soldat britanic, dar și animalele lui, se aflau pe aeroport și în momentul în care a avut loc atacul terorist soldat cu cel puțin 170 de victime.

Cu toate acestea, 24 de angajați ai adăpostului de animale înființat de Farthing au rămas blocați în Afganistan, după ce talibanii le-au refuzat accesul pe aeroport.

Pen Farthing with fighting dog Nowzad in Afghanistan in 2006 Nowzad dogs charity, which rescues stray and abandoned animals from Afghanistan - 24 May 2013 *Full story: http://www.rexfeatures.com/nanolink/ltpc Former Afghanistan fighting dog Nowzad has not only found a new home in Britain but is also helping to save other abandoned animals. Pen Farthing was serving as a Troop Sergeant in the Royal Marines in Afghanistan in 2006 when he stumbled across Nowzad. He comments: "When we first arrived in the town of Now Zad I broke up a dog fight that was taking place right outside our remote compound. "What I didn't know was that one of those fighting dogs would then befriend me! "I couldn't say no to those big sad eyes and the now very former fighting dog became my buddy and found himself a name - 'Nowzad'. At the end of his tour, unable to leave his new buddy behind - Pen hatched a plan to bring Nowzad back to the UK with him. Since then he has founded the Nowzad animal charity, which works to bring stray pets back to Britain from Afghanistan.,Image: 236055817, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

Rescuing Man's Best Friend From Afghanistan Former Afghanistan fighting dog Nowzad has not only found a new home in Britain but is also helping to save other abandoned animals. Pen Farthing was serving as a Troop Sergeant in the Royal Marines in Afghanistan in 2006 when he stumbled across Nowzad. He comments: "When we first arrived in the town of Now Zad I broke up a dog fight that was taking place right outside our remote compound. "What I didn't know was that one of those fighting dogs would then befriend me! "I couldn't say no to those big sad eyes and the now very former fighting dog became my buddy and found himself a name - 'Nowzad'. At the end of his tour, unable to leave his new buddy behind - Pen hatched a plan to bring Nowzad back to the UK with him. Since then he has founded the Nowzad animal charity, which works to bring stray pets back to Britain from Afghanistan. While serving in the country hundreds of servicemen adopt pets but are forced to leave them behind because of regulations that forbid military transport aircraft being used to carry animals. So far Nowzad has helped 550 servicemen from Britain, America and other countries to bring their adopted animals home. Along with his wife Hannah, Pen is currently raising money to fund a bigger animal shelter in Afghanistan to help relieve the suffering of street animals there. MUSTcom/stacklink/KHTDLAMPW,Image: 235832958, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing with his rescue dogs at the Nowzad rescue centre in Kabul. Material must be credited "The Sun/News Licensing" unless otherwise agreed. 100% surcharge if not credited. Online rights need to be cleared separately. Strictly one time use only subject to agreement with News Licensing,Image: 628703032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Usage is subject to our terms and conditions. Electronic storage is prohibited., Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing with his rescue dogs at the Nowzad rescue centre in Kabul. Material must be credited "The Sun/News Licensing" unless otherwise agreed. 100% surcharge if not credited. Online rights need to be cleared separately. Strictly one time use only subject to agreement with News Licensing,Image: 628703038, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Usage is subject to our terms and conditions. Electronic storage is prohibited., Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing with his rescue dogs at the Nowzad rescue centre in Kabul. Material must be credited "The Sun/News Licensing" unless otherwise agreed. 100% surcharge if not credited. Online rights need to be cleared separately. Strictly one time use only subject to agreement with News Licensing,Image: 628703044, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Usage is subject to our terms and conditions. Electronic storage is prohibited., Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia