It was the Paras who were the first to land in Kabul in August 2021 as the country fell to the Taliban, marking the end of the 20-year military campaign in the country.

Sir John Lorimer, the former Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment, told The Telegraph that the news was “absolutely marvellous”.

“Given the strategic nature of the operation, the intensity of the tactical situation, the risk to the forces and the horrendous circumstances on the ground, this seems absolutely appropriate,” he said.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment were also involved in the mission and worked alongside the Joint Force Headquarters, the Royal Air Force, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and UK Border Force to ensure the safe passage of British Nationals and former British staff eligible for relocation under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.

Surreal ‘joint patrol’ with Taliban

During the mission, soldiers from 2 Para in Afghanistan sent diary entries to The Telegraph where they revealed the surrealness of having found themselves effectively on “joint patrol” with the Taliban who killed their friends.

Meanwhile, in his first interview following the mission, Brigadier James Martin, the former Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, told The Telegraph that British soldiers “cannot unsee” the horrors of Kabul and warned that they would need help to recover from the “harrowing” deployment.

He said: “Did they see some harrowing things? Did they see some wretched circumstances? Did they see some of the worst and best of humanity? Absolutely.”