UK to welcome 20,000 Afghans amid Taliban takeover

Thousands of Afghan refugees will be resettled in the UK after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the UK government has promised.

The new scheme will see up to 20,000 Afghans offered a route to set up home in the UK in the coming years.

In the first year, 5,000 refugees will be eligible - with women, girls and others in need having priority.

Home Secretary Priti Patel urged other countries to help, writing in the Daily Telegraph "we cannot do this alone".

However, some of the opposition parties have criticised the settlement scheme for not going far enough.

The new plan is on top of the existing scheme for interpreters and other staff who worked for the UK.