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| Ainsworth warns on war casualties | Ainsworth warns on war casualties |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has warned of casualties as UK troops prepare to take part in a major military offensive in Afghanistan. | |
| Operation Moshtarak is designed to force Taliban militants from an area surrounding the town of Marja in Helmand province. | Operation Moshtarak is designed to force Taliban militants from an area surrounding the town of Marja in Helmand province. |
| Mr Ainsworth said it "was not a safe environment" and operations could not be made risk-free. | |
| The offensive involves British, American and Afghan troops. | The offensive involves British, American and Afghan troops. |
| Codenamed Operation Moshtarak - which means "together" in the Dari language - it has been described as a "softening-up operation" to clear the Taliban from its remaining strongholds in the area. | |
| Casualties are something we have to come to expect when we're involved in these operations Bob Ainsworth Karzai may introduce army draft | Casualties are something we have to come to expect when we're involved in these operations Bob Ainsworth Karzai may introduce army draft |
| A previous operation in June and July last year - Operation Panther's Claw - resulted in the deaths of ten British soldiers. | A previous operation in June and July last year - Operation Panther's Claw - resulted in the deaths of ten British soldiers. |
| So far 253 UK forces personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001. | So far 253 UK forces personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001. |
| Talking to Taliban | Talking to Taliban |
| Mr Ainsworth said: "Of course casualties are something we have to come to expect when we're involved in these operations and people have had that brought home to them. | Mr Ainsworth said: "Of course casualties are something we have to come to expect when we're involved in these operations and people have had that brought home to them. |
| "This is not a safe environment and it doesn't matter how much kit and equipment we provide for them, we cannot entirely make these operations risk-free. | "This is not a safe environment and it doesn't matter how much kit and equipment we provide for them, we cannot entirely make these operations risk-free. |
| "But they are well-planned, there's good provision and we can only wish success for our people." | "But they are well-planned, there's good provision and we can only wish success for our people." |
| He added: "We shouldn't deny or pretend to people that we can provide security and that casualties are not a very real risk on these kind of operations and people have to be prepared for that." | He added: "We shouldn't deny or pretend to people that we can provide security and that casualties are not a very real risk on these kind of operations and people have to be prepared for that." |
| Mr Ainsworth said British forces in Afghanistan were engaged in direct talks with Taliban representatives. | Mr Ainsworth said British forces in Afghanistan were engaged in direct talks with Taliban representatives. |
| "There's no need for us to wait until some end point before we start talking to those elements of the Taliban who don't share all of the ideological aims of some of their leaders. | "There's no need for us to wait until some end point before we start talking to those elements of the Taliban who don't share all of the ideological aims of some of their leaders. |
| "Those talks have already been going on, and have been going on for some time. They're led by the Afghan government, and we would encourage them to do so." | "Those talks have already been going on, and have been going on for some time. They're led by the Afghan government, and we would encourage them to do so." |