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Women, children and religious minorities will be prioritised in a new UK resettlement scheme for 20,000 Afghan refugees, Boris Johnson will announce, acknowledging that those who helped the western coalition over two decades are now most at risk from the Taliban takeover, The Guardian reported. 

Most of the 20,000 are likely to have fled to neighbouring countries such as Pakistan before being resettled in Britain over five years, a Whitehall source said, unless the UK can strike an agreement with the Taliban to let people depart.

British citizens and dual nationals board a military plane for evacuation from Kabul airport on Monday

Johnson said the UK owed “a debt of gratitude to all those who have worked with us to make Afghanistan a better place over the last 20 years” and “many of them, particularly women, are now in urgent need of our help”.

Ahead of the recall of parliament on Wednesday, the prime minister added: “I am proud that the UK has been able to put in place this route to help them and their families live safely in the UK. The best solution for everyone is an Afghanistan that works for all Afghans.