Afghanistan: Soldier who went viral after he was pictured cradling a baby over wall in Kabul airport says the photo ‘sums up what troops are doing’

A British soldier seen cradling a baby amid the chaos at Kabul airport has said the viral image shows what soldiers are doing ‘on a daily basis’ to help families flee the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The corporal in the UK Parachute Regiment was filmed by Sky News holding the baby last week and the image trended around the world.

The unnamed soldier (for security reasons) has now come out to say the emotional scene ‘sums up what the guys are doing’ to assist thousands in escaping Afghanistan amid fears the airport could become a target for bombings by the militants.

The unnamed soldier told Sky News on Sunday, August 22,

 ‘The baby got passed over, to the side over the razor wire — first came the baby and then came the mum and the pram, but she was on her own. The baby was clearly distressed.’

‘This is a challenging environment.’ His commanding officer added:

‘That picture sums up what this deployment has been like.’

So far, 5,725 people, 3,100 of them being Afghans and their families — have now been repatriated by British military since the Taliban regained control of the country, nearly 20 years after being decimated by the US- and UK-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks in America.