Safe passage will be given to Afghans wanting to leave the country but are being encouraged to stay, according to the Taliban’s official spokesman.

Suhail Shaheen said those with the ‘right documents’ will be allowed to leave after chaos ensued across Kabul when the regime took back control.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: ‘We urge them to stay in Afghanistan as we have gained our independence.

‘It is time for all Afghans to build their country. Their capacity, their talents, are direly needed in this crucial time.’ He added: ‘If they intend to travel abroad, that is their right.’

His comments are at odds with reports of Taliban thugs raping and beating a gay man trying to get through border checkpoints, and pinning death warnings on people who helped the West.

Pen Farthing also revealed one of his rescue dogs was stabbed by Taliban fighters as he tried to flee Kabul on Sunday.

Little over a week ago, another Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, also confirmed the road to Kabul airport had been blocked for Afghans.

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He added: ‘We are not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore and we are not happy with it either.’

Mujahid said Afghanistan’s doctors and academics ‘should not leave this country, they should work in their own specialist areas’.

He added: ‘They should not go to other countries, to those Western countries.’

Meanwhile, UK officials are holding talks with the Taliban about securing safe passage for remaining British nationals and Afghans who helped them.

Downing Street confirmed Sir Simon Gass, the Prime Minister’s special representative for Afghan transition, has travelled to Qatar for talks with ‘senior Taliban representatives’, to again plea for people to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

The Foreign Office also announced that 15 crisis response specialists are being flown to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to help British diplomats trying to help people escape Afghanistan over land borders before eventually reaching the UK.

They are set to arrive within 48 hours, and will focus on helping UK nationals, interpreters and other Afghans who were employed by the UK – as well as those Afghans judged most at risk.

The USA withdrew its final soldiers earlier this week.

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