SAS chiefs refuse US request to stop daring rescue missions deep inside Kabul

The Kabul airport death toll soared to 20 over the weekend after seven more died – amid a major alert Islamic State could target crowds with suicide bombers.

Intelligence agencies have warned Islamic State in the Khorasan – the regional ISIS branch – is infiltrating the capital hell-bent on ruining the west’s ceasefire Taliban deal.

Some of the dead are believed to have died from crush wounds but it is believed others were shot dead by Taliban thugs in control of Kabul.

More fear piled pressure on the race-against-time evacuation yesterday over the Islamic State alarm and increased tensions from within the coalition.

When they take off they are soaring steeply in a reverse corkscrew almost vertically to gain height as quickly as possible to avoid ground fire.

The Mirror has learned SAS commanders have refused to agree to an alleged request from the US to halt their daring rescue missions deep inside Kabul.

A controversial American media report said a US officer told British special forces in Kabul that their operations were making America “look bad” politically.

The reports were backed up by a UK special forces source back in the UK who spoke to the Daily Mirror over the weekend.

It is believed Washington has put pressure on their own special forces not to venture into Kabul because of the risk of being captured by Taliban.

But the Mirror source said: “It is true that there have been robust conversations in recent days out there – but these are very professional soldiers doing an extremely difficult job.

“There has been no long-term fallout between special forces groups on the ground and they are working quite brilliantly together on the rescue mission.”

The Mirror has also learned members of 2 Para – part of 16th Air Assault Brigade – have been “snatching” entitled evacuees from under the control of the Taliban.

Daring Para “snatch squads” have whisked Afghan evacuees outside the airport back behind the safety of their lines where they can be processed for a mercy flight.

The special forces source in the UK confirmed British SAS troops in Kabul had even “groomed” Taliban fighters into easing pressure on the evacuation.

The source told the Mirror: “There is a very unlikely but practical relationship being formed by extremely adept UK special forces operators out there in leveraging the Taliban.

“This is a purely practical development in order to ensure as many British and entitled Afghans get out of the country safely and as soon as possible.”

It has also been necessary because Britain has largely been excluded from the deal over safely evacuating between America and the Taliban.

The source added: “British forces are having to use their initiative and that so far has worked very well.

“The Paras are doing a very good job, showing locals compassion and empathy, despite coming under tremendous strain from witnessing so much suffering.”

Fears a civil war is looming have added to the tension and desperate need to process evacuees as quickly as possible.

New Taliban rulers have been hit with multiple attacks, mainly from the north and launched by the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan.

Hundreds of fleeing Afghan National Army troops have headed north to the Panjshir valley where UK-educated leader Ahmad Massoud is leading the rebellion.

Yesterday, according to sources, the Taliban was reinforcing its fighters trying to battle the rebels as they have lost scores of fighters in just days.

In Kabul the Taliban have worsened pressure on crowds outside the airport, firing into the air and beating people with batons.

Source: Mirror