Expelled diplomats leave Afghanistan after diplomacy fails

Kabul: Two diplomats expelled from Afghanistan, accused of speaking to the Taliban, have left the country.

British national Mervyn Patterson, who works for the UN and Irishman Michael Semple, from the EU flew out of Kabul on Thursday.

The pair were told to leave after it emerged that they had been speaking to tribal elders in the Taliban dominated Helmand province.

They eventually left after two days of negotiations to reverse the decision failed.