UK to extend its military presence in Afghanistan

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News October 28, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon says the country is set to extend its military presence in Afghanistan by a year.

Fallon said the extension is made due to the ongoing security challenge faced by Afghan forces.

He went on saying that the Afghan National Defence (ANDSF) and Security Forces had been “tested” over the last year but were increasingly professional and competent.

“The UK government recognized it would take time for the ANDSF to develop into a fully-fledged fighting force capable of providing complete security for the people of Afghanistan,” he said in a statement.

The statement also read: “We have now concluded that we should maintain the scale of the UK’s current military mission in the country in 2016, to help build a secure and stable Afghanistan. The scope and role of the UK mission are unchanged.”

This comes as Britain had previously announced that it would keep troops in Afghanistan until the end of this year.

UK has around 450 troops in Afghanistan who are involved in training at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, working with the Afghan security ministries, and supporting NATO operations in Kabul.

British troops ended their combat operations in Afghanistan last year, 13 years after taking part in the U.S.-led invasion which launched a long and costly war against the Taliban.

Earlier this month, the US President Barak Obama said Washington would slow the pace of troop withdrawal due to the “very fragile” security situation there.

Despite the deployment of US-led forces in Afghanistan, the Taliban has remained active in the country. Many districts across the country are now fully or partially under Taliban control.

The UK’s military mission in Afghanistan has brought with it a heavy human toll. Over 450 British troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan since 2001.