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| Deaths not halting success - PM | Deaths not halting success - PM |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| UK forces' mission in Afghanistan is showing "signs of success", despite the deaths of 15 soldiers in 10 days, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted. | |
| Giving up the fight against the Taliban would leave the UK "less safe as a country", because a "chain of terror" linked the two countries, he said. | Giving up the fight against the Taliban would leave the UK "less safe as a country", because a "chain of terror" linked the two countries, he said. |
| Mr Brown told the British Forces Broadcasting Service the UK had a "patriotic duty" to continue fighting. | Mr Brown told the British Forces Broadcasting Service the UK had a "patriotic duty" to continue fighting. |
| US President Barack Obama has described Britain's contribution as "critical". | US President Barack Obama has described Britain's contribution as "critical". |
| In an interview with Sky News, the president paid tribute to the latest UK casualties and said the increasingly deadly conflict was a "serious fight" that was essential for the future stability of Afghanistan. | In an interview with Sky News, the president paid tribute to the latest UK casualties and said the increasingly deadly conflict was a "serious fight" that was essential for the future stability of Afghanistan. |
| See a graph of UK troop deaths in Afghanistan | See a graph of UK troop deaths in Afghanistan |
| Mr Brown gave his interview after the Ministry of Defence released the names of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Thursday. | Mr Brown gave his interview after the Ministry of Defence released the names of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Thursday. |
| Rifleman Daniel Hume, 22, of 4th Battalion The Rifles, and Private John Brackpool, 27, Prince of Wales' Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards died during the recent offensive in Helmand - Operation Panther's Claw. | Rifleman Daniel Hume, 22, of 4th Battalion The Rifles, and Private John Brackpool, 27, Prince of Wales' Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards died during the recent offensive in Helmand - Operation Panther's Claw. |
| The prime minister praised the "professionalism, courage and sense of duty" of all Britain's armed forces. | The prime minister praised the "professionalism, courage and sense of duty" of all Britain's armed forces. |
| He said it had been "a difficult few weeks" for them in Afghanistan, but insisted there was "a clear strategy" in place. | He said it had been "a difficult few weeks" for them in Afghanistan, but insisted there was "a clear strategy" in place. |
| US president sets Afghan target Eight UK soldiers dead in 24 hours | |
| "I think the operation in Helmand province is showing signs of success," Mr Brown said. | "I think the operation in Helmand province is showing signs of success," Mr Brown said. |
| "Our troops are making progress as they attempt to make the area safer. Reports that I have show that despite the losses, our forces are doing a magnificent job in moving forward." | "Our troops are making progress as they attempt to make the area safer. Reports that I have show that despite the losses, our forces are doing a magnificent job in moving forward." |
| In the face of mounting casualties, Mr Brown justified the UK military presence in Helmand. | In the face of mounting casualties, Mr Brown justified the UK military presence in Helmand. |
| "It comes back to terrorism on the streets of Britain," he said. | "It comes back to terrorism on the streets of Britain," he said. |
| "If we were to allow the Taliban to be back in power in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda then to have the freedom of manoeuvre it had before 2001, then we would be less safe as a country. | "If we were to allow the Taliban to be back in power in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda then to have the freedom of manoeuvre it had before 2001, then we would be less safe as a country. |
| "There's a line of terror, what you might call a chain of terror, that links what's happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan to the streets of Britain. | "There's a line of terror, what you might call a chain of terror, that links what's happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan to the streets of Britain. |
| "Three quarters of all terrorist plots that our security services have had to deal with have come from those mountainous areas." | "Three quarters of all terrorist plots that our security services have had to deal with have come from those mountainous areas." |
| Stop the War | Stop the War |
| Opposition leaders have accused the government of failing to properly equip troops for their fight in Afghanistan. | Opposition leaders have accused the government of failing to properly equip troops for their fight in Afghanistan. |
| Mr Brown said 1,000 more vehicles had been sent since last year and by the end of 2009 new Ridgeback armoured vehicles and Merlin helicopters would also be added to the armoury. | Mr Brown said 1,000 more vehicles had been sent since last year and by the end of 2009 new Ridgeback armoured vehicles and Merlin helicopters would also be added to the armoury. |
| But he added: "We must do more and we will do more." | But he added: "We must do more and we will do more." |
| Meanwhile, the Stop the War coalition has announced a protest in London on Monday, calling for troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan in light of escalating losses. | Meanwhile, the Stop the War coalition has announced a protest in London on Monday, calling for troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan in light of escalating losses. |
| Rifleman Daniel Hume was killed in an explosion on Thursday | |
| A group spokesman said: "The troop surge which was meant to pacify Helmand province has become a nightmare for the British army." | A group spokesman said: "The troop surge which was meant to pacify Helmand province has become a nightmare for the British army." |
| Author James Fergusson, who has written about Britain's role in Afghanistan, said he did not recognise any "chain of terror". | |
| "It seems to me we are fighting on the wrong battlefield. | |
| "Al Qaeda were thrown out of Afghanistan in 2001/2 and in some sense it was mission accomplished. They are in Pakistan. | |
| "There's never been a Taliban bomb on the streets of London. The Taliban have no foreign policy." | |
| He said Nato was part of the problem because "you can't win hearts and minds when you're fighting". | |
| One hundred and eighty-four service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, more than the 179 who were killed during the war in Iraq. | One hundred and eighty-four service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, more than the 179 who were killed during the war in Iraq. |
| On Friday in Helmand, five soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles were killed in two separate blasts near Sangin, while a member of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment died near Nad Ali. | On Friday in Helmand, five soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles were killed in two separate blasts near Sangin, while a member of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment died near Nad Ali. |
| BRITISH CASUALTIES IN AFGHANISTAN MARCH 2006 - JULY 2009 1: Highest monthly toll with 19 dead including 12 killed when a RAF Nimrod crashes in Afghanistan.2: British death toll reaches 100. Among the 13 fatalities in June is the first British female soldier.3: British casualties surge as major offensive against Taliban begins in the south. Many are lost to powerful Improvised Explosive Devices. | BRITISH CASUALTIES IN AFGHANISTAN MARCH 2006 - JULY 2009 1: Highest monthly toll with 19 dead including 12 killed when a RAF Nimrod crashes in Afghanistan.2: British death toll reaches 100. Among the 13 fatalities in June is the first British female soldier.3: British casualties surge as major offensive against Taliban begins in the south. Many are lost to powerful Improvised Explosive Devices. |
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