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A FORMER Royal Marine has ended his mission to rescue nearly 200 cats and dogs from Afghanistan.

But who is the dog rescuer Pen Farthing?

Pen Farthing, a former Royal Marine Commando, is campaigning for the government to have 71 people flown to the UK
Pen Farthing, a former Royal Marine Commando, is campaigning for the government to have 71 people flown to the UKCredit: PA

Who is Pen Farthing?

Paul "Pen" Farthing is a former Royal Marines commando who founded the Nowzad Dogs charity in 2007.

Pen had been campaigning to fly out his 200 dogs and cats plus himself and 68 Afghan refugees from the charity’s animal shelter in Taliban-controlled Kabul.

It was revealed on August 24, 2021, that the UK government had granted visas for Pen's 68 rescue animal workers and their dependants.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said officials would seek a runway slot for the plane chartered by Pen, 52, to evacuate him, his staff and their animals if they come to Kabul Airport.

However when he arrived at the airport with all the animals and his staff the Taliban told the group they couldn't board a jet.

As the group from organisation Nowzad were turned away, Isis-K suicide bombers targeted civilians and US Marines outside the airport gates.

At least 169 people - including 72 Afghan civilians, 12 Marines and a Navy medic - died in the blasts.

Even on August 28 there were still dramatic twists and turns in the story.

Farthing has now made it inside Kabul airport with his rescue cats and dogs but the Taliban forces at the airport prevented his Afghan staff from entering, forcing them to stay in the country.

His wife Kaisa is Norwegian and escaped with a pregnant American friend — who was not identified — while her husband stayed behind in Kabul, vowing not to leave until all 25 of his staff and their immediate families were given safe passage out of the troubled nation.

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Markhus said she and her friend were nearly trampled to death as thousands stormed the airport, with soldiers firing warning shots in the air.

They also had to dodge Taliban troops outside, staying in a safe house each night before returning again each day to try to flee.

What is Nowzad?

The Nowzad Dogs charity was created by Pen, after rescuing a dog he called Nowzad while serving in the town of Nowzad in Afghanistan.

It was set up in 2007 and looks to reunite former servicemen and women with pets they have met while on tour.

But Pen and Nowzad also helps the Afghani animal community, building the nation's first animal rescue centre.

Since the collapse of the Afghan government, he has campaigned to have his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he has dubbed Operation Ark.

Has Pen Farthing left Afghanistan without the pets?

It looks as if Farthing will leave Afghanistan with his rescue animals but even at this late stage nothing is quite certain given the number of twists and turns that have taken place.

On August 26, 2021, Pen admitted defeat as he's being forced to leave Afghanistan without his rescue dogs and cats and 25 members of staff.

However, he was then told that "Biden had changed policy on who's allowed in" - and the Taliban refused to accept paperwork for his staff.

He added: "We were forced to leave the airfield, and just as we did, that's when those attacks happened and then all hell broke loose.

"As we were trying to flee from the airport, we were getting tear-gassed so we were obviously trying to drive the vehicle when we can't see anything.

"It was just the most horrific thing."

Where is Pen Farthing now?

He is still in Kabul although he has managed to make it into the airport with his rescue animals.

The private plane chartered for the evacuation flight is now, August 28, said to have landed in Kabul.

It is not known when the flight will take off but it is expected to be in the next few hours.

He told The Sun: “It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind."

And he said there were "lots of tears" as he walked away from them.

“I feel so many things," he said.

"I feel very sad for them [but] I’m relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.”

Pen is due to fly to Tashkent and then on to the UK - where his animals will be quarantined until Christmas.

What is Operation Ark?

Since the Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan in August 2021, Pen has launched a fundraiser titled Operation Ark to transport staff and 200 animals from his animal rescue organisation, Nowzad, in Kabul out of the country to the UK in a private plane.

Wallace has stated that, while Farthing and his workforce have been offered places on an plane, he won’t be prioritising animals “over the men, women and children we see in desperate need of the gate”.

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