4,000 men to Afghanistan
Deadly force ... Chinooks will back up the troops
By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON
Political Editor
THOUSANDS of Britain’s fiercest troops will tomorrow be ordered to the world’s most dangerous region.
Defence Secretary John Reid will reveal that up to 4,000 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Parachute Regiment are being sent to a lawless province of Afghanistan.
Officially their role is “provincial reconstruction” to make southern Afghanistan governable again.
They will help the country’s authorities retake control over the wild Helmand area, where a new insurgency group has formed.
Their task is NOT to hunt down al-Qaeda cells, Taliban extremists or terrorist training camps — though commanders have been warned to brace themselves for violent clashes.
But Dr Reid will tell MPs the mission, to begin in late April or May, is a crucial chapter in the war against terror.
A senior Government figure said: “There is no doubt this will be a dangerous exercise. But it is a vital mission for Britain to lead.
“Our forces will be robustly armed in case they come into contact with enemy forces.”
The British troops will spearhead a NATO “enabling force” to assist the Afghans and take over from US units already there.
The Americans have lost more than 100 dead to suicide bombers.
Recently the MoD’s director general in charge of operational policy said: “The rise of suicide bombers is an area of concern.”
The decision to send the Paras — one of the toughest fighting forces in the world — underlines the risks involved.
The battle group will be backed by Apache, Chinook and Merlin helicopters as well as RAF Harrier jets.
Our Boys are currently on Salisbury Plain — where Dr Reid will visit them on Friday — finalising their training and being taught how to deal with Afghan culture.
An advance party from 16 Air Assault Brigade — based in Colchester, Essex — has been planning the mission since before Christmas.
The number of British troops in Afghanistan will fall back to around 3,500 after engineers have finished building new base camps.
Holland has agreed to commit 1,200 soldiers to the NATO force though Dutch MPs are nervous about it and are to vote next month.
thesun.co.uk
Deadly force ... Chinooks will back up the troops
By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON
Political Editor
THOUSANDS of Britain’s fiercest troops will tomorrow be ordered to the world’s most dangerous region.
Defence Secretary John Reid will reveal that up to 4,000 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Parachute Regiment are being sent to a lawless province of Afghanistan.
Officially their role is “provincial reconstruction” to make southern Afghanistan governable again.
They will help the country’s authorities retake control over the wild Helmand area, where a new insurgency group has formed.
Their task is NOT to hunt down al-Qaeda cells, Taliban extremists or terrorist training camps — though commanders have been warned to brace themselves for violent clashes.
But Dr Reid will tell MPs the mission, to begin in late April or May, is a crucial chapter in the war against terror.
A senior Government figure said: “There is no doubt this will be a dangerous exercise. But it is a vital mission for Britain to lead.
“Our forces will be robustly armed in case they come into contact with enemy forces.”
The British troops will spearhead a NATO “enabling force” to assist the Afghans and take over from US units already there.
The Americans have lost more than 100 dead to suicide bombers.
Recently the MoD’s director general in charge of operational policy said: “The rise of suicide bombers is an area of concern.”
The decision to send the Paras — one of the toughest fighting forces in the world — underlines the risks involved.
The battle group will be backed by Apache, Chinook and Merlin helicopters as well as RAF Harrier jets.
Our Boys are currently on Salisbury Plain — where Dr Reid will visit them on Friday — finalising their training and being taught how to deal with Afghan culture.
An advance party from 16 Air Assault Brigade — based in Colchester, Essex — has been planning the mission since before Christmas.
The number of British troops in Afghanistan will fall back to around 3,500 after engineers have finished building new base camps.
Holland has agreed to commit 1,200 soldiers to the NATO force though Dutch MPs are nervous about it and are to vote next month.
thesun.co.uk