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| British Forces Sent to Help Afghans Hold Off Taliban in Helmand | British Forces Sent to Help Afghans Hold Off Taliban in Helmand |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — More NATO troops were rushed to the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Tuesday, as besieged Afghan forces struggled to hold the Taliban off in Sangin District and other population centers. | KABUL, Afghanistan — More NATO troops were rushed to the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Tuesday, as besieged Afghan forces struggled to hold the Taliban off in Sangin District and other population centers. |
| A small contingent of British forces in an advisory role arrived at Camp Shorabak, the largest British military base in Afghanistan before it was handed over to the Afghan forces last year, the United Kingdom ministry of defense said in a statement. | |
| “They are not deployed in a combat role and will not deploy outside the camp,” the statement said. | “They are not deployed in a combat role and will not deploy outside the camp,” the statement said. |
| The British forces, which Afghan officials said numbered around 40, are in addition to the American Special Operation Forces that deployed to Helmand when the provincial capital Lashkar Gah was on verge of falling several weeks ago. | |
| Ebadullah Alizai, a member of the provincial council in Helmand said much of the Sangin district center was under Taliban control, with an Afghan Army unit surrounded and in urgent need of reinforcements. | Ebadullah Alizai, a member of the provincial council in Helmand said much of the Sangin district center was under Taliban control, with an Afghan Army unit surrounded and in urgent need of reinforcements. |
| Sangin has long been a stronghold for the Taliban, and one of the deadliest Afghan battlegrounds for British and American troops. The district began coming under heavy insurgent pressure within months of the NATO handover of security control to the Afghan forces. They have been mostly penned into their bases there over the past year. | Sangin has long been a stronghold for the Taliban, and one of the deadliest Afghan battlegrounds for British and American troops. The district began coming under heavy insurgent pressure within months of the NATO handover of security control to the Afghan forces. They have been mostly penned into their bases there over the past year. |