UK will support orderly departure from Afghanistan - Raab

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Brussels

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom will "support an orderly departure of our forces" from Afghanistan as NATO withdraws from the country, Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Wednesday

"We will support an orderly departure of our forces, whilst building up Afghanistan’s capacity for self-governance, and continuing counter-terrorism support - to protect the gains made over the last 20 years," Raab said in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan on May 1 to end America's longest war.

(Writing by William Schomberg)