After 13 years and 453 fatalities, the British military's role in the War in Afghanistan has come to an end today.
In a historic moment in the Afghan desert, Britain lowered its flag in Camp Bastion in an end of operations ceremony signifying the finish of the longest military campaign in modern times. Camp Bastion, at four miles long and two miles wide is the size of the town of Reading, was built in 2006 by the British Army and was the largest British overseas military camp built since the Second World War.
While around 500 British personnel will remain in the country, today marked the end of combat operations after a bloody campaign which was only meant to last a few years.
Those who are left will be given a new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces – but will not be engaged in fighting.
Security was heightened at the camp as officials warned there was still a threat the Taliban could make one final attack as the troops prepared to leave.
Soldiers rehearsed the ceremony repeatedly – taking into account any hostile action which could arise given the nature of the event and the seniority of those present.
Military chiefs claimed only ‘time will tell’ whether the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to keep Camp Bastion and the Helmand province out of the hands of the Taliban.
But they said the British campaign in the country had given a new ‘sense of hope’ to the Afghan people and made streets in the UK safer from terrorist threats.
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior British officer in Helmand, said of the end of combat operations: ‘I think there are three emotions at play. We are proud of what our servicemen and women have done.’
Britain's war in Afghanistan comes to an end after 13 years as flag is lowered over Camp Bastion
By Larisa Brown, Daily Mail Defence Reporter In Camp Bastion, Afghanistan and Dan Bloom for MailOnline
26 October 2014
Daily Mail
Britain's war in Afghanistan came to an end today after a 13-year conflict which has cost billions of pounds and hundreds of lives.
In a historic moment in the Afghan desert, Britain lowered its flag in Camp Bastion in an end of operations ceremony signifying the finish of the longest military campaign in modern times.
Those few hundred British troops remaining at the camp will begin to make their way home in the next few days ahead of schedule after handing over to the Afghan forces.
Symbolic: British soldiers lowering the Union flag today at Camp Bastion, where they marked the end of combat operations in Afghanistan after 13 years. The war has cost billions of pounds and claimed the lives of 453 British troops since it began in 2001
Last chapter? The emblem was the last British flag flying above the skies of Helmand Province. It was lowered by Captain Matthew Clark, (left) and Warrant Officer 1 John Lilley (right) and will be returned to Britain after today's handover ceremony at Camp Bastion
New phase: Remaining troops will be given a mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces, but will not be engaged in fighting
While some British personnel will remain in the country, today marked the end of combat operations after a bloody campaign which was only meant to last a few years.
Those who are left will be given a new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces – but will not be engaged in fighting.
Security was heightened at the camp as officials warned there was still a threat the Taliban could make one final attack as the troops prepared to leave.
Soldiers rehearsed the ceremony repeatedly – taking into account any hostile action which could arise given the nature of the event and the seniority of those present.
Military chiefs claimed only ‘time will tell’ whether the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to keep Camp Bastion and the Helmand province out of the hands of the Taliban.
But they said the British campaign in the country had given a new ‘sense of hope’ to the Afghan people and made streets in the UK safer from terrorist threats.
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior British officer in Helmand, said of the end of combat operations: ‘I think there are three emotions at play. We are proud of what our servicemen and women have done.
Coalition: UK, U.S. and Nato flags were lowered as part of the ceremony, while the Afghan flag remained flying above the base
Salute: The final ceremonial parade this morning was attended by around 200 military personnel and civilians
Embrace: British (left) and Afghan soldiers during the handover ceremony today, which marked the end of British combat operations
Handover: As the flags were lowered by British troops, the national anthems of Afghanistan and the UK played throughout
‘We are happy and sad. We are happy we are all going back to our families but we are also sad because we are leaving behind some friends who were courageous on the battlefield.‘ He said they had made a difference for British streets as well as those in Afghanistan.
Asked if we had won or lost the war, he said that in today’s wars there is not a simple ‘defeat’ or ‘victory’ like there was with the Second World War.
He said: ‘That’s not how struggles end today. I think we have an army that is hugely adaptable and can adjust in step as we enter a new campaign.
‘I am kind of optimistic I think what we have achieved is something we can be proud of. There are still some challenges in Afghanistan. But we can be positive.’
In a parade attended by around 200 military personnel and civilians, troops paraded a US flag and two flags representing the regional command of Afghanistan.
While they were held high in the sky, the national anthems of Afghanistan and Britain played throughout.
Three of the flags in the centre of the ceremony on poles were then lowered - Nato’s flag was first, followed by the Union Jack and finally the American flag, leaving just the Afghan flag still flying.
Saying goodbye: Much of the once-sprawling base at Camp Bastion has now returned to lengthy strips of desert. Today marked the end of combat operations in Afghanistan after 13 years, billions of pounds and many deaths - tens of thousands of them of Afghan troops
Abandoned: Brigadier Rob Thomson said at the empty base: 'I am kind of optimistic I think what we have achieved is something we can be proud of. There are still some challenges, but we can be positive'
History: Thousands of British servicemen fought for eight years in the heat of Camp Bastion, pictured yesterday
Barren: Remaining equipment will be flown home with around 500 troops left in Kabul carrying out training
An Afghan sermon was followed by a prayer and Brigadier General Yoo, commander of Regional Command South West, who has led the mission in Helmand, relinquished his duties.
He said: ‘Today is significant because it is the end of the beginning. It is the beginning for the resolution support mission in south west Afghanistan.
‘It is amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.
‘When you think about the cost it has been expensive. I am talking about the cost of human casualties. Every one of those who died are not victims, they are volunteers, and they would come back again and again because they believed in the mission.’
Major General Malook, of the Afghan army, said: ‘I am really happy but I am really sad. I’m happy because they are going to their homes, I’m sad because they are my friends.
‘I’m certain we can maintain the security here.'
Only the highest level of the ANSF are privy to top secret security plans detailing the day of the final departure of western forces – which will be named B-Day - or, Bastion Day.
The majority of the Afghan forces will only know 12 hours prior to the final date of departure, which will leave not a single British or American person on the soil in Helmand.
Defence secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that 'mistakes' had been made.
'I think the generals have been clear that mistakes were made,' he said. 'Mistakes were made militarily and mistakes were made by the politicians at the time.
'Clearly the numbers weren't there at the beginning, the equipment wasn't quite good enough at the beginning, and we have learnt an awful lot from the campaign.'
In an official statement, he added: 'It is with pride that we announce the end of UK combat operations in Helmand having given Afghanistan the best possible chance of a stable future.
'Our Armed Forces' tremendous sacrifice laid the foundations for a strong Afghan Security Force, set the security context that enabled the first democratic transition of power in the country's history, and stopped it being a launch pad for terrorist attacks in the UK.
'Although we are ending a significant chapter in our shared history, the UK's commitment to support Afghanistan will continue through institutional development, the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and development aid.'
Will Davies, lieutenant colonel of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, The Welsh Cavalry, one of the last remaining units at the camp, said: ‘The inside threat is there. It is always going to be there. This is Helmand.’
Thousands of British servicemen fought for eight years in the heat and dust of Helmand to keep it out of the murderous hands of the Taliban.
They were picked off by snipers, blown up by roadside bombs and 453 men and women lost their lives in the ferocious battle to liberate the Afghan province.
Camp Bastion grew to a huge military city in the desert after being built in 2006 and had become a safe haven for troops away from the fighting.
Mix of emotions: Corporal Thomas Warner 23, from Port Talbot of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, in tent accommodation at Camp Bastion yesterday as British troops prepared to withdraw from the 13-year conflict
It was the main operating base in the southern province, and was until today the last remaining major UK base in the country.
The symbolic stronghold was handed over to the Afghan forces, trained by US and UK military personnel, who will now take the lead for security throughout the country.
UK troops will shortly relocate to Kandahar air base as the UK mission comes to an end almost two months ahead of schedule.
Having relocated to Kandahar, the British forces will spend the next few weeks shipping the remaining equipment back to the UK before flying home.
Regimental sergeant major Robert Mansel: 'There is some pride... keeping the streets of Britain safe'
But while logistics units, medics and infantry soldiers will head to the huge air base, it is understood a number of special forces will remain in Kabul.
The UK will leave around 500 troops in Kabul where they will train Afghan Army officers in a mission codenamed Operation Toral, and known as ‘Sandhurst in the Sand’.
Their new mission will be to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces as they continue to fight insurgents in the war-torn country.
Brigadier Darrell Amison, Commander of Joint Force Support, Afghanistan said: ‘From a military perspective there has been a huge amount of commitment and sacrifice here.
‘We have been here a long time, the UK is a safer place and broadly we have achieved our objectives.
‘To be here in the final stages it gives me immense professional pride. The soldiers feel part of something quite special here.
‘We have developed remarkably in the last eight years. The soldier in 2006 is a very different one to 2014.
We don’t know where this country is going to go and I would not like to take a guess.
‘There is hope for the country, whether that is seized is another matter. Time will tell.’
The remaining troops remained optimistic yesterday, saying they had fulfilled the mission they set out to achieve.
Corporal Thomas Warner, 23, of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, said: ‘It is a historic event and I’m massively proud. The Afghan forces are fantastic and I’m very confident in what they are doing, they’ve got the best possible chance.
‘It is strange thinking I will never come back. This is all I know and I’m leaving it behind.’
Regimental sergeant major Robert Mansel, of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, said: ‘It is a bit of a strange feeling being some of the last here. I am privileged to be chosen and feel a sense of achievement.
‘There is some personal pride, I am out there doing a job that is keeping the streets of Britain safe.‘
The initial plan for Afghanistan was to deliver stability and development and leave within a few years.
But Taliban forces proved to be much stronger than first anticipated by military chiefs and the UK was dragged into a long and costly conflict.
Operation Herrick, as it was codenamed, came at the cost of tens of billions of pounds to the UK taxpayer and hundreds of British lives were lost – as well as tens of thousands of Afghans.
Analysts last year estimated Britain had by then spent at least £37billion on the campaign, and it predicted that would rise by £40billion by the end of the decade.
The Taliban – originally a group of Islamic scholars – were in control of about 90 per cent of Afghanistan until late 2001.
They were at loggerheads with the international community over the presence on their soil of Osama Bin Laden after the ordered the attacks in the US on 11 September 2001.
Prime Minister Tony Blair had delivered a stark ultimatum to the Taliban to hand him over or face ‘very considerable damage’.
Memories: Staff Sergent Craig Worsley, 34, preparing to leave yesterday. Brigadier Darrell Amison, Commander of Joint Force Support, Afghanistan said: 'The soldier in 2006 is a very different one to 2014'
In September 2013, David Cameron boldly declared Britain’s mission would be ‘accomplished’ by this month
After their refusal to hand him over, the US initiated aerial attacks a month later, paving the way for opposition groups to drive them from power and heralding a long-term, Nato-led military presence.
As the British and American forces diverted their attention to Iraq in 2003, the Taliban began to make advances across the country.
As a result, in 2006, Britain committed reinforcements in a bid to install a viable democracy, modernise the country and destroy the opium industry.
At the height of the war, 9,500 British military personnel were serving in Afghanistan.
In September 2013, David Cameron boldly declared that Britain’s mission would be ‘accomplished’ in Afghanistan by the time the troops pulled out this month.
Appearing to dismiss fears that militants would return to wreak havoc, the Prime Minister gave a startlingly upbeat assessment of the troubled country’s prospects.
He insisted that the main aim of the mission was to give the country a ‘basic level of security’ against terrorism, and he was confident this had been achieved.
Under Taliban rule, only 1.2million students were enrolled in schools, with fewer than 50,000 of them girls. There are now 6.7million children attending school, including three million girls.
Final visit: Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the remaining British troops at the camp earlier this month
OFFICER: DON'T COMPARE US TO ISIS-RAVAGED IRAQ
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior officer left in Helmand, blasted 'erroneous' comparisons between Iraq - where Isis militants have swept in and seized vast areas - and what may happen in Afghanistan.
'Iraq and Afghanistan are very different in terms of the environment here, whether that is the geography, the culture, their societal structures and so on,' he said.
'The way we are ending the mission is very different. We are transitioning now for the next two years.
'There will be continued support in the ministry of defence and the ministry of interior to people, there will be train, assist and advise missions through parts of the country. It is not a cliff edge end here.
'It is going to be a transition and I think that is really important. We have not seen any evidence of Isis in Helmand at all.'
Around seven million Afghans voted to choose a successor to Hamid Karzai in the first round of this year’s presidential election campaign.
Western officials insist the Afghan security forces – who have been trained by US and UK personnel - have managed to contain the Taliban’s offensives on their own.
But the Taliban have been launching attacks ahead of the withdrawal of most foreign forces by the end of this year.
The Afghan National Army and police force now number almost 330,000, but much of their focus is on Kabul and the government has struggled to extend its unity beyond the capital.
The insurgents’ alarming gains in the south and east raise the nightmare prospect of the Taliban taking over swathes of land and assaulting the rest of the country.
In the northern province of Kunduz, there are now two districts almost entirely under Taliban rule, local officials have said.
The Taliban are administering legal cases and schools, and even allowing international aid operations to work there, it was claimed in the New York Times.
Similarly in the Tangi Valley in the Wardak province, just an hour’s drive from Kabul, the Taliban are said to be in control of the everyday life of much of the population.
A BBC Panorama investigation found they are using the valley as a staging post for attacks on the capital as it tries to seize back the whole country.
The number of Afghan civilians killed or injured in the conflict in the first six months of this year rose by a quarter from 2013 levels to nearly 5,000 people.
The UN said three quarters of the deaths and injuries were caused by insurgent fighters.
In the last eight months, 272 members of the Afghan National Army and 506 members of the police were killed in the Helmand province alone.
But British military officials yesterday said the government of Afghanistan holds the district centres and holds the routes in between which was the most important factor.
Following claims the Taliban were ‘days away’ from recapturing three Helmand towns in September, Tory MP John Baron warned the area would eventually be effectively ‘handed back’ to the Taliban.
But officials in Afghanistan and British chiefs say they are firmly in control.
Under new agreements that Afghanistan signed with the US and Nato, about 12,000 foreign troops will remain in the country beyond 2014 to train and assist Afghan forces.
There will also be a separate US-led force dealing with the remnants of Al-Qaeda.
Read more: Britain's war in Afghanistan comes to an end after 13 years as flag is lowered over Camp Bastion | Daily Mail Online
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In a historic moment in the Afghan desert, Britain lowered its flag in Camp Bastion in an end of operations ceremony signifying the finish of the longest military campaign in modern times. Camp Bastion, at four miles long and two miles wide is the size of the town of Reading, was built in 2006 by the British Army and was the largest British overseas military camp built since the Second World War.
While around 500 British personnel will remain in the country, today marked the end of combat operations after a bloody campaign which was only meant to last a few years.
Those who are left will be given a new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces – but will not be engaged in fighting.
Security was heightened at the camp as officials warned there was still a threat the Taliban could make one final attack as the troops prepared to leave.
Soldiers rehearsed the ceremony repeatedly – taking into account any hostile action which could arise given the nature of the event and the seniority of those present.
Military chiefs claimed only ‘time will tell’ whether the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to keep Camp Bastion and the Helmand province out of the hands of the Taliban.
But they said the British campaign in the country had given a new ‘sense of hope’ to the Afghan people and made streets in the UK safer from terrorist threats.
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior British officer in Helmand, said of the end of combat operations: ‘I think there are three emotions at play. We are proud of what our servicemen and women have done.’
Britain's war in Afghanistan comes to an end after 13 years as flag is lowered over Camp Bastion
Today officially marks end of 13-year conflict, which has cost billions of pounds and 453 British troops' lives
Brigadier Rob Thomson: Troops have mixture of pride and sadness, but there is no 'victory' or 'defeat' like in WWII
500 troops will remain in Kabul to train Afghan security forces amid continuing fears Taliban could regain control
Brigadier Rob Thomson: Troops have mixture of pride and sadness, but there is no 'victory' or 'defeat' like in WWII
500 troops will remain in Kabul to train Afghan security forces amid continuing fears Taliban could regain control
By Larisa Brown, Daily Mail Defence Reporter In Camp Bastion, Afghanistan and Dan Bloom for MailOnline
26 October 2014
Daily Mail
Britain's war in Afghanistan came to an end today after a 13-year conflict which has cost billions of pounds and hundreds of lives.
In a historic moment in the Afghan desert, Britain lowered its flag in Camp Bastion in an end of operations ceremony signifying the finish of the longest military campaign in modern times.
Those few hundred British troops remaining at the camp will begin to make their way home in the next few days ahead of schedule after handing over to the Afghan forces.
Symbolic: British soldiers lowering the Union flag today at Camp Bastion, where they marked the end of combat operations in Afghanistan after 13 years. The war has cost billions of pounds and claimed the lives of 453 British troops since it began in 2001
Last chapter? The emblem was the last British flag flying above the skies of Helmand Province. It was lowered by Captain Matthew Clark, (left) and Warrant Officer 1 John Lilley (right) and will be returned to Britain after today's handover ceremony at Camp Bastion
New phase: Remaining troops will be given a mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces, but will not be engaged in fighting
While some British personnel will remain in the country, today marked the end of combat operations after a bloody campaign which was only meant to last a few years.
Those who are left will be given a new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces – but will not be engaged in fighting.
Security was heightened at the camp as officials warned there was still a threat the Taliban could make one final attack as the troops prepared to leave.
Soldiers rehearsed the ceremony repeatedly – taking into account any hostile action which could arise given the nature of the event and the seniority of those present.
Military chiefs claimed only ‘time will tell’ whether the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to keep Camp Bastion and the Helmand province out of the hands of the Taliban.
But they said the British campaign in the country had given a new ‘sense of hope’ to the Afghan people and made streets in the UK safer from terrorist threats.
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior British officer in Helmand, said of the end of combat operations: ‘I think there are three emotions at play. We are proud of what our servicemen and women have done.
Coalition: UK, U.S. and Nato flags were lowered as part of the ceremony, while the Afghan flag remained flying above the base
Salute: The final ceremonial parade this morning was attended by around 200 military personnel and civilians
Embrace: British (left) and Afghan soldiers during the handover ceremony today, which marked the end of British combat operations
Handover: As the flags were lowered by British troops, the national anthems of Afghanistan and the UK played throughout
‘We are happy and sad. We are happy we are all going back to our families but we are also sad because we are leaving behind some friends who were courageous on the battlefield.‘ He said they had made a difference for British streets as well as those in Afghanistan.
Asked if we had won or lost the war, he said that in today’s wars there is not a simple ‘defeat’ or ‘victory’ like there was with the Second World War.
He said: ‘That’s not how struggles end today. I think we have an army that is hugely adaptable and can adjust in step as we enter a new campaign.
‘I am kind of optimistic I think what we have achieved is something we can be proud of. There are still some challenges in Afghanistan. But we can be positive.’
In a parade attended by around 200 military personnel and civilians, troops paraded a US flag and two flags representing the regional command of Afghanistan.
While they were held high in the sky, the national anthems of Afghanistan and Britain played throughout.
Three of the flags in the centre of the ceremony on poles were then lowered - Nato’s flag was first, followed by the Union Jack and finally the American flag, leaving just the Afghan flag still flying.
Saying goodbye: Much of the once-sprawling base at Camp Bastion has now returned to lengthy strips of desert. Today marked the end of combat operations in Afghanistan after 13 years, billions of pounds and many deaths - tens of thousands of them of Afghan troops
Abandoned: Brigadier Rob Thomson said at the empty base: 'I am kind of optimistic I think what we have achieved is something we can be proud of. There are still some challenges, but we can be positive'
History: Thousands of British servicemen fought for eight years in the heat of Camp Bastion, pictured yesterday
Barren: Remaining equipment will be flown home with around 500 troops left in Kabul carrying out training
An Afghan sermon was followed by a prayer and Brigadier General Yoo, commander of Regional Command South West, who has led the mission in Helmand, relinquished his duties.
He said: ‘Today is significant because it is the end of the beginning. It is the beginning for the resolution support mission in south west Afghanistan.
‘It is amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.
‘When you think about the cost it has been expensive. I am talking about the cost of human casualties. Every one of those who died are not victims, they are volunteers, and they would come back again and again because they believed in the mission.’
Major General Malook, of the Afghan army, said: ‘I am really happy but I am really sad. I’m happy because they are going to their homes, I’m sad because they are my friends.
‘I’m certain we can maintain the security here.'
Only the highest level of the ANSF are privy to top secret security plans detailing the day of the final departure of western forces – which will be named B-Day - or, Bastion Day.
The majority of the Afghan forces will only know 12 hours prior to the final date of departure, which will leave not a single British or American person on the soil in Helmand.
Defence secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that 'mistakes' had been made.
'I think the generals have been clear that mistakes were made,' he said. 'Mistakes were made militarily and mistakes were made by the politicians at the time.
'Clearly the numbers weren't there at the beginning, the equipment wasn't quite good enough at the beginning, and we have learnt an awful lot from the campaign.'
In an official statement, he added: 'It is with pride that we announce the end of UK combat operations in Helmand having given Afghanistan the best possible chance of a stable future.
'Our Armed Forces' tremendous sacrifice laid the foundations for a strong Afghan Security Force, set the security context that enabled the first democratic transition of power in the country's history, and stopped it being a launch pad for terrorist attacks in the UK.
'Although we are ending a significant chapter in our shared history, the UK's commitment to support Afghanistan will continue through institutional development, the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and development aid.'
Will Davies, lieutenant colonel of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, The Welsh Cavalry, one of the last remaining units at the camp, said: ‘The inside threat is there. It is always going to be there. This is Helmand.’
Thousands of British servicemen fought for eight years in the heat and dust of Helmand to keep it out of the murderous hands of the Taliban.
They were picked off by snipers, blown up by roadside bombs and 453 men and women lost their lives in the ferocious battle to liberate the Afghan province.
Camp Bastion grew to a huge military city in the desert after being built in 2006 and had become a safe haven for troops away from the fighting.
Mix of emotions: Corporal Thomas Warner 23, from Port Talbot of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, in tent accommodation at Camp Bastion yesterday as British troops prepared to withdraw from the 13-year conflict
It was the main operating base in the southern province, and was until today the last remaining major UK base in the country.
The symbolic stronghold was handed over to the Afghan forces, trained by US and UK military personnel, who will now take the lead for security throughout the country.
UK troops will shortly relocate to Kandahar air base as the UK mission comes to an end almost two months ahead of schedule.
Having relocated to Kandahar, the British forces will spend the next few weeks shipping the remaining equipment back to the UK before flying home.
Regimental sergeant major Robert Mansel: 'There is some pride... keeping the streets of Britain safe'
But while logistics units, medics and infantry soldiers will head to the huge air base, it is understood a number of special forces will remain in Kabul.
The UK will leave around 500 troops in Kabul where they will train Afghan Army officers in a mission codenamed Operation Toral, and known as ‘Sandhurst in the Sand’.
Their new mission will be to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces as they continue to fight insurgents in the war-torn country.
Brigadier Darrell Amison, Commander of Joint Force Support, Afghanistan said: ‘From a military perspective there has been a huge amount of commitment and sacrifice here.
‘We have been here a long time, the UK is a safer place and broadly we have achieved our objectives.
‘To be here in the final stages it gives me immense professional pride. The soldiers feel part of something quite special here.
‘We have developed remarkably in the last eight years. The soldier in 2006 is a very different one to 2014.
We don’t know where this country is going to go and I would not like to take a guess.
‘There is hope for the country, whether that is seized is another matter. Time will tell.’
The remaining troops remained optimistic yesterday, saying they had fulfilled the mission they set out to achieve.
Corporal Thomas Warner, 23, of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, said: ‘It is a historic event and I’m massively proud. The Afghan forces are fantastic and I’m very confident in what they are doing, they’ve got the best possible chance.
‘It is strange thinking I will never come back. This is all I know and I’m leaving it behind.’
Regimental sergeant major Robert Mansel, of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, said: ‘It is a bit of a strange feeling being some of the last here. I am privileged to be chosen and feel a sense of achievement.
‘There is some personal pride, I am out there doing a job that is keeping the streets of Britain safe.‘
The initial plan for Afghanistan was to deliver stability and development and leave within a few years.
But Taliban forces proved to be much stronger than first anticipated by military chiefs and the UK was dragged into a long and costly conflict.
Operation Herrick, as it was codenamed, came at the cost of tens of billions of pounds to the UK taxpayer and hundreds of British lives were lost – as well as tens of thousands of Afghans.
Analysts last year estimated Britain had by then spent at least £37billion on the campaign, and it predicted that would rise by £40billion by the end of the decade.
The Taliban – originally a group of Islamic scholars – were in control of about 90 per cent of Afghanistan until late 2001.
They were at loggerheads with the international community over the presence on their soil of Osama Bin Laden after the ordered the attacks in the US on 11 September 2001.
Prime Minister Tony Blair had delivered a stark ultimatum to the Taliban to hand him over or face ‘very considerable damage’.
Memories: Staff Sergent Craig Worsley, 34, preparing to leave yesterday. Brigadier Darrell Amison, Commander of Joint Force Support, Afghanistan said: 'The soldier in 2006 is a very different one to 2014'
In September 2013, David Cameron boldly declared Britain’s mission would be ‘accomplished’ by this month
After their refusal to hand him over, the US initiated aerial attacks a month later, paving the way for opposition groups to drive them from power and heralding a long-term, Nato-led military presence.
As the British and American forces diverted their attention to Iraq in 2003, the Taliban began to make advances across the country.
As a result, in 2006, Britain committed reinforcements in a bid to install a viable democracy, modernise the country and destroy the opium industry.
At the height of the war, 9,500 British military personnel were serving in Afghanistan.
In September 2013, David Cameron boldly declared that Britain’s mission would be ‘accomplished’ in Afghanistan by the time the troops pulled out this month.
Appearing to dismiss fears that militants would return to wreak havoc, the Prime Minister gave a startlingly upbeat assessment of the troubled country’s prospects.
He insisted that the main aim of the mission was to give the country a ‘basic level of security’ against terrorism, and he was confident this had been achieved.
Under Taliban rule, only 1.2million students were enrolled in schools, with fewer than 50,000 of them girls. There are now 6.7million children attending school, including three million girls.
Final visit: Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the remaining British troops at the camp earlier this month
OFFICER: DON'T COMPARE US TO ISIS-RAVAGED IRAQ
Brigadier Rob Thomson, the most senior officer left in Helmand, blasted 'erroneous' comparisons between Iraq - where Isis militants have swept in and seized vast areas - and what may happen in Afghanistan.
'Iraq and Afghanistan are very different in terms of the environment here, whether that is the geography, the culture, their societal structures and so on,' he said.
'The way we are ending the mission is very different. We are transitioning now for the next two years.
'There will be continued support in the ministry of defence and the ministry of interior to people, there will be train, assist and advise missions through parts of the country. It is not a cliff edge end here.
'It is going to be a transition and I think that is really important. We have not seen any evidence of Isis in Helmand at all.'
Around seven million Afghans voted to choose a successor to Hamid Karzai in the first round of this year’s presidential election campaign.
Western officials insist the Afghan security forces – who have been trained by US and UK personnel - have managed to contain the Taliban’s offensives on their own.
But the Taliban have been launching attacks ahead of the withdrawal of most foreign forces by the end of this year.
The Afghan National Army and police force now number almost 330,000, but much of their focus is on Kabul and the government has struggled to extend its unity beyond the capital.
The insurgents’ alarming gains in the south and east raise the nightmare prospect of the Taliban taking over swathes of land and assaulting the rest of the country.
In the northern province of Kunduz, there are now two districts almost entirely under Taliban rule, local officials have said.
The Taliban are administering legal cases and schools, and even allowing international aid operations to work there, it was claimed in the New York Times.
Similarly in the Tangi Valley in the Wardak province, just an hour’s drive from Kabul, the Taliban are said to be in control of the everyday life of much of the population.
A BBC Panorama investigation found they are using the valley as a staging post for attacks on the capital as it tries to seize back the whole country.
The number of Afghan civilians killed or injured in the conflict in the first six months of this year rose by a quarter from 2013 levels to nearly 5,000 people.
The UN said three quarters of the deaths and injuries were caused by insurgent fighters.
In the last eight months, 272 members of the Afghan National Army and 506 members of the police were killed in the Helmand province alone.
But British military officials yesterday said the government of Afghanistan holds the district centres and holds the routes in between which was the most important factor.
Following claims the Taliban were ‘days away’ from recapturing three Helmand towns in September, Tory MP John Baron warned the area would eventually be effectively ‘handed back’ to the Taliban.
But officials in Afghanistan and British chiefs say they are firmly in control.
Under new agreements that Afghanistan signed with the US and Nato, about 12,000 foreign troops will remain in the country beyond 2014 to train and assist Afghan forces.
There will also be a separate US-led force dealing with the remnants of Al-Qaeda.
Read more: Britain's war in Afghanistan comes to an end after 13 years as flag is lowered over Camp Bastion | Daily Mail Online
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