Goofy
12-22-2015, 06:06 PM
The MoD insists the personnel will not be deployed in a combat role as the Taliban continues to gain ground in Helmand.
http://i.imgur.com/DWoytdI.jpg
British military personnel have been deployed to Helmand province amid claims the Taliban is now in control of around 65% of the region.
The Ministry of Defence said the group would not take any combat role and would provide only advisory support to help local forces engaged in a bloody fight for control of Sangin.
The strategically important town, which was the scene of fierce fighting during the Afghan campaign, with more than 100 British troops dying in and around it, is understood to be almost completely under Taliban control.
A MoD spokeswoman said: "As part of the UK's ongoing contribution to NATO's Resolute Support Mission, a small number of UK personnel have deployed to Camp Shorabak in Helmand province in an advisory role.
"In total the UK has around 450 troops in Afghanistan mentoring and supporting the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and the Afghan Security Ministries."
The Times reports the deployment included at least one SAS unit of around 30 soldiers who were backing American special forces and the Afghan National Army as they try to retake the town.
The MoD refused to comment on any operations involving the SAS.
According to local journalist Bilal Sarwary, Sangin has become a "battlefield" in recent days, with police completely overwhelmed and local troops accused of not doing enough.
He said the local police chief claims the Taliban has given him until Tuesday evening to surrender or face execution.
"He said his forces have had no food for the last few days and he has fatalities and casualties lying all around," he told Sky News.
Sarwary added that a number of police commanders have been shot dead in their homes.
After months of heavy fighting, insurgents have reportedly taken back large parts of Helmand province, which had been controlled by mostly British forces before their withdrawal more than a year ago.
The head of Helmand's provincial council, Muhammad Kareem Atal, said about 65% of the region is now under Taliban control.
"In every district either we are stepping back or we are handing territory over to Taliban," he said.
Sangin is important because it is a key part of the Afghan drugs trade, particularly heroin.
But Sir William Patey, who was British ambassador in 2010-2012, said he did not think the flow of drugs from the country could be stopped.
He favours decriminalising it in the UK, "taking it out of the hands of terrorists and putting it in the hands of doctors".
Sir William cautioned in a country "as poor as Afghanistan the rewards from drug barons are too great".
"We spent a considerable amount of time and effort with all the troops we had there and we've made no impact on it (drugs trade) whatsoever."
Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley says there will be many who argue that insurgent gains prove last year's withdrawal of foreign troops was premature.
He says there was a "great deal of hope, verging on spin, that the quarter of a million Afghan troops being trained by stay-behind NATO and other contributing units was going to be able to hold the line."
The fact this doesn't appear to have been the case, Kiley says, not only has a symbolic significance, given the vast number of British troops who died trying to defend the town, it is also a great strategic loss.
Helmand is an important base for the Taliban, as it is home to most of the world's opium trade, which they use to fund their conflict.
There is also concern that if insurgents switch allegiance to Islamic State, which is making inroads in Afghanistan, the multibillion pound trade will fall into IS' hands.
Some 456 British forces personnel or MoD civilians have lost their lives in Afghanistan since 2001.
On Monday six US troops were killed in a suicide attack near Bagram Airfield.
The bomber rammed a motorbike laden with explosives into a patrol of NATO and Afghan forces near the US-run airfield, which is 30 miles north of Kabul.
http://i.imgur.com/DWoytdI.jpg
British military personnel have been deployed to Helmand province amid claims the Taliban is now in control of around 65% of the region.
The Ministry of Defence said the group would not take any combat role and would provide only advisory support to help local forces engaged in a bloody fight for control of Sangin.
The strategically important town, which was the scene of fierce fighting during the Afghan campaign, with more than 100 British troops dying in and around it, is understood to be almost completely under Taliban control.
A MoD spokeswoman said: "As part of the UK's ongoing contribution to NATO's Resolute Support Mission, a small number of UK personnel have deployed to Camp Shorabak in Helmand province in an advisory role.
"In total the UK has around 450 troops in Afghanistan mentoring and supporting the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and the Afghan Security Ministries."
The Times reports the deployment included at least one SAS unit of around 30 soldiers who were backing American special forces and the Afghan National Army as they try to retake the town.
The MoD refused to comment on any operations involving the SAS.
According to local journalist Bilal Sarwary, Sangin has become a "battlefield" in recent days, with police completely overwhelmed and local troops accused of not doing enough.
He said the local police chief claims the Taliban has given him until Tuesday evening to surrender or face execution.
"He said his forces have had no food for the last few days and he has fatalities and casualties lying all around," he told Sky News.
Sarwary added that a number of police commanders have been shot dead in their homes.
After months of heavy fighting, insurgents have reportedly taken back large parts of Helmand province, which had been controlled by mostly British forces before their withdrawal more than a year ago.
The head of Helmand's provincial council, Muhammad Kareem Atal, said about 65% of the region is now under Taliban control.
"In every district either we are stepping back or we are handing territory over to Taliban," he said.
Sangin is important because it is a key part of the Afghan drugs trade, particularly heroin.
But Sir William Patey, who was British ambassador in 2010-2012, said he did not think the flow of drugs from the country could be stopped.
He favours decriminalising it in the UK, "taking it out of the hands of terrorists and putting it in the hands of doctors".
Sir William cautioned in a country "as poor as Afghanistan the rewards from drug barons are too great".
"We spent a considerable amount of time and effort with all the troops we had there and we've made no impact on it (drugs trade) whatsoever."
Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley says there will be many who argue that insurgent gains prove last year's withdrawal of foreign troops was premature.
He says there was a "great deal of hope, verging on spin, that the quarter of a million Afghan troops being trained by stay-behind NATO and other contributing units was going to be able to hold the line."
The fact this doesn't appear to have been the case, Kiley says, not only has a symbolic significance, given the vast number of British troops who died trying to defend the town, it is also a great strategic loss.
Helmand is an important base for the Taliban, as it is home to most of the world's opium trade, which they use to fund their conflict.
There is also concern that if insurgents switch allegiance to Islamic State, which is making inroads in Afghanistan, the multibillion pound trade will fall into IS' hands.
Some 456 British forces personnel or MoD civilians have lost their lives in Afghanistan since 2001.
On Monday six US troops were killed in a suicide attack near Bagram Airfield.
The bomber rammed a motorbike laden with explosives into a patrol of NATO and Afghan forces near the US-run airfield, which is 30 miles north of Kabul.