Dutch foreign minister resigns over Afghan crisis

Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag resigned on Thursday after parliament formally condemned her handling of the Afghanistan evacuation crisis.

Lawmakers approved a motion criticising the government for failing to evacuate some Afghans, and for missing signs of an imminent Taliban takeover.

"The House considers that the government has acted irresponsibly. And although I stand by our commitment, I can only accept the consequences of this judgement as the minister with ultimate responsibility," Kaag said in a statement to parliament.

"In my view on democracy and the culture of our administration, a minister should go if the policy is disapproved. I will therefore submit my resignation as minister of foreign affairs to his majesty the king."

Kaag said she would stay on as leader of the centre-left D66 party, which is in coalition talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte after winning the second-most seats in elections in March.

Her resignation comes a day after Britain's Dominic Raab was demoted from his position as foreign minister over the way he dealt with the situation in Afghanistan.