Scots troops in 'high readiness' for Afghanistan deployment
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited Fort George earlier as 3 Scots the Black Watch soldiers set off.
Around 200 soldiers based at Fort George in the Highlands are being prepared to be deployed to Afghanistan.
Troops from 3 Scots the Black Watch left this morning for the Joint Air Mounting Centre at South Cerney, Gloucestershire, so they can be deployed to Kabul at short notice.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace met with soldiers as they prepared to set off.
Pressure continues to grow on the US to extend the rescue operation after the August 31st deadline, which was the date agreed with the Taiban for western forces to leave.
Mr Wallace confirmed discussions are ongoing with US about a delayed withdrawal, but remained focused on getting people out of Afghanistan.
He said: "The Prime Minister is, obviously at the G7, going to try and raise the prospect of seeing if the United States will extend.
"It’s really important for people to understand the United States have over 6,000 people in Kabul airport and when they withdraw that will take away the framework that has allowed us to withdraw, and we will have to go as well.
"I don’t think there is any likelihood of staying on after the United States. If their timetable extends even by a day or two, that will give us a day or two more to evacuate people.
"Because we are really down to hours now, not weeks, and we have to make sure we exploit every minute to get people out."
Mr Wallace also outlined what work is being done to get people out of the country.
He added: Over the last 24 hours we've taken 1300 people out that's a mixture of British nationals and people on the Arap schemes such as interpreters.
"We've taken out since the 14th of August 6600 of those people and other people within the criteria.
"And since as far back as April we've taken out 8000 people.
"Those are all the people within the scheme both Passport Holders, interpreters, people that help the British government, whether that was through aid or whether that was through military, and that's the right thing to do.
"There are of course many many more. And the hardest thing is to be honest about the reality which is we won't get them all out, but we are doing it every hour of every day to get them through."