Dominic Raab said he is unclear how many people will be left behind in Afghanistan once British troops withdraw by 31 August.

The UK foreign secretary said the figure depends on “the window” left in terms of timing and how many people they manage to process over the next few days.

Raab also declined to comment on whether British troops would return to Afghanistan in the future.

Evacuations from Kabul airport in Afghanistan pick up pace, with the total number leaving since the Taliban takeover reaching 82,300.

US President Joe Biden says he aims to complete the operation - and US troop pull-out - by the 31 August deadline.

Some US troops have already started to leave as the effort enters its final phase.

US allies have pressed Biden to extend the timeframe.

Germany will keep evacuating people from Afghanistan as long as it is responsible to do so, Chancellor Angela Merkel told conservative lawmakers, adding, however, that this is only possible with the United States, two sources said.

Thousands of people are still desperate to flee the country after Kabul fell to the Taliban last week and before a 31 August deadline.

Germany’s Bundeswehr has so far flown more than 4,500 people out of Afghanistan, tweeted the foreign ministry. Around 3,700 of them are Afghan nationals, with women and girls making up about half the number.

Many journalists and human rights activists are among those who have been flown out, it said.

Broadcaster ARD had earlier reported that German evacuations may stop as soon as Wednesday.

“There will be no special path for Germany. All steps are being closely agreed with partners,” one source quoted Merkel as saying.

Merkel said in Tuesday there are intensive discussions on whether a civilian-operated airport in Kabul could be used after that deadline.