As the Group of Seven (G7) leaders prepare to meet online to address the crisis, Britain's Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stated Tuesday that it is "unlikely" that evacuations from Afghanistan will be extended beyond August 31.
Later on Tuesday, the United Kingdom will host an extraordinary meeting of G7 leaders, at which US President Joe Biden will be pressed to extend the end-of-month deadline for thousands of Afghans wishing to flee Afghanistan.
The Taliban have stated that any demands by Western forces to extend the deadline in order to finish the evacuation operation will be rejected.
On Sunday, Biden stated that he did not want to extend the evacuation date, but that conversations were still ongoing.
Wallace told Sky News he was doubtful there would be an extension "not only because of what the Taliban said but also if you look at the public statements of President Biden."
But he added, "It is definitely worth us all trying, and we will."
Wallace said if Western forces do not leave by the deadline the Taliban could attack the airport or prevent people from arriving.
"If that airport gets attacked then effectively it closes down, mortar fire onto the runway etc, and then you are left with a very big humanitarian problem," he said.
Britain has evacuated around 8,600 people from Afghanistan in last two weeks, including 2,000 people in the last 24 hours, Wallace said.
But he said given the limited time before the evacuation window closes, "we're not going to get everybody out."
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