Britain in Afghanistan for the long term, says Defence Minister as sixth soldier dies in a week
13th August 2007
Daily Mail
Defence Secretary Des Browne said UK forces were doing an 'exceptionally good job' in Afghanistan
Private Tony Rawson, 27, was killed when his patrol came under fire from Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan
A "long-term commitment" in Afghanistan is essential to preventing its return to being a training ground for terrorists, claims Defence Secretary Des Browne.
He was speaking following the death of another British soldier in the volatile Helmand province over the weekend.
Mr Browne said UK forces were doing an "exceptionally good job" in Afghanistan, but they needed to be supported by the growth of governance in the country.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have never underestimated the degree of difficulty we face here, but we are making progress."
Mr Browne said the troops were fighting to ensure that Afghanistan has the "best future" it can have.
He said: "We are in Afghanistan... to ensure that a country which has gone through three decades or more of dreadful violence, lost two million of its own people securing its own freedom, has the opportunity that its citizens deserve to have the best future they can have in an already challenging environment.
"And to ensure that this ungoverned space, as it had become after 30 years of that sort of violence, and had become a training ground for terrorists, never again becomes a training ground for terrorists."
Mr Browne conceded that production of opium poppy had increased, but said successes were being made in other aspects of Afghan life.
"We are beginning to make a difference but it's not an easy thing to do," he said.
"The fact of the matter is it is a long-term commitment and our people are doing an exceptionally good job there but it has to be complemented by the growth of governance from the Afghans themselves.
"They have to take increasing responsibility not just for security but to hold the stability which we can generate."
Mr Browne expressed his condolences to the latest servicemen to die in Afghanistan.
The soldier who was killed on Saturday from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment is due to be named later today.
He was killed when his base, north east of Sangin, was attacked by small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades and indirect fire at about 1.20pm on Saturday.
He was taken by helicopter to Camp Bastion, but did not survive. Five other soldiers received minor injuries in the attack, the Ministry of Defence said.
The soldier's death comes at the end of a devastating week for British forces.
He is the second soldier to be killed in as many days in Afghanistan, and four soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Monday.
On Friday, Private Tony Rawson, 27, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment died when his patrol came under fire from Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan.
Lance Sergeant Chris Casey and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, from the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, were killed on Thursday when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated next to their patrol, which was travelling in a convoy to the north Rumaylah oil fields, west of the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard, 20, of No 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment was shot during a routine foot patrol in the Al Waki district north of the British Base at Basra Airport, southern Iraq on Tuesday night.
And, last Monday, Private Craig Barber, 20, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, died after coming under attack from small arms fire in the Al Fursi district of Basra.
The latest death brings the total number of British military fatalities in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 70.
In addition, three serviceman were killed in the RAF helicopter crash close to Catterick Garrison on Wednesday night.
The aircraft's captain, Flight Lieutenant David Sale, and crewman Sergeant Phillip Burfoot both of 33 Squadron based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, were killed when the Puma helicopter crashed in a grassy field to the west of Garrison, near Hudswell Grange.
And 17-year-old Army recruit Private Sean Tait, of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, later died of his injuries.
dailymail.co.uk
13th August 2007
Daily Mail
Defence Secretary Des Browne said UK forces were doing an 'exceptionally good job' in Afghanistan
Private Tony Rawson, 27, was killed when his patrol came under fire from Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan
A "long-term commitment" in Afghanistan is essential to preventing its return to being a training ground for terrorists, claims Defence Secretary Des Browne.
He was speaking following the death of another British soldier in the volatile Helmand province over the weekend.
Mr Browne said UK forces were doing an "exceptionally good job" in Afghanistan, but they needed to be supported by the growth of governance in the country.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have never underestimated the degree of difficulty we face here, but we are making progress."
Mr Browne said the troops were fighting to ensure that Afghanistan has the "best future" it can have.
He said: "We are in Afghanistan... to ensure that a country which has gone through three decades or more of dreadful violence, lost two million of its own people securing its own freedom, has the opportunity that its citizens deserve to have the best future they can have in an already challenging environment.
"And to ensure that this ungoverned space, as it had become after 30 years of that sort of violence, and had become a training ground for terrorists, never again becomes a training ground for terrorists."
Mr Browne conceded that production of opium poppy had increased, but said successes were being made in other aspects of Afghan life.
"We are beginning to make a difference but it's not an easy thing to do," he said.
"The fact of the matter is it is a long-term commitment and our people are doing an exceptionally good job there but it has to be complemented by the growth of governance from the Afghans themselves.
"They have to take increasing responsibility not just for security but to hold the stability which we can generate."
Mr Browne expressed his condolences to the latest servicemen to die in Afghanistan.
The soldier who was killed on Saturday from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment is due to be named later today.
He was killed when his base, north east of Sangin, was attacked by small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades and indirect fire at about 1.20pm on Saturday.
He was taken by helicopter to Camp Bastion, but did not survive. Five other soldiers received minor injuries in the attack, the Ministry of Defence said.
The soldier's death comes at the end of a devastating week for British forces.
He is the second soldier to be killed in as many days in Afghanistan, and four soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Monday.
On Friday, Private Tony Rawson, 27, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment died when his patrol came under fire from Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan.
Lance Sergeant Chris Casey and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, from the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, were killed on Thursday when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated next to their patrol, which was travelling in a convoy to the north Rumaylah oil fields, west of the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard, 20, of No 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment was shot during a routine foot patrol in the Al Waki district north of the British Base at Basra Airport, southern Iraq on Tuesday night.
And, last Monday, Private Craig Barber, 20, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, died after coming under attack from small arms fire in the Al Fursi district of Basra.
The latest death brings the total number of British military fatalities in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 70.
In addition, three serviceman were killed in the RAF helicopter crash close to Catterick Garrison on Wednesday night.
The aircraft's captain, Flight Lieutenant David Sale, and crewman Sergeant Phillip Burfoot both of 33 Squadron based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, were killed when the Puma helicopter crashed in a grassy field to the west of Garrison, near Hudswell Grange.
And 17-year-old Army recruit Private Sean Tait, of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, later died of his injuries.
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