UK's Johnson did authorise animal evacuations from Kabul, emails suggest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves the Downing Street in London, Britain, January 26, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson did authorise the evacuation of animals from Kabul during the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, a claim he has previously dismissed as "nonsense", according to government emails released on Wednesday.

Johnson, whose premiership is under immense pressure over allegations of parties at his Downing Street office during COVID-19 lockdowns, has denied any involvement in the decision to help evacuate the cats and dogs of the Nowzad animal rescue charity run by former British soldier Paul "Pen" Farthing.