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Longer Afghanistan tours for British soldiers | Longer Afghanistan tours for British soldiers |
(34 minutes later) | |
Thousands of British troops will start serving longer tours in Afghanistan from October, the defence secretary has announced. | Thousands of British troops will start serving longer tours in Afghanistan from October, the defence secretary has announced. |
Soldiers deployed this autumn will serve up to eight months instead of the usual six, Philip Hammond told MPs. | Soldiers deployed this autumn will serve up to eight months instead of the usual six, Philip Hammond told MPs. |
He said those deployed next year could serve for as long as nine months. | He said those deployed next year could serve for as long as nine months. |
Up to 3,700 personnel could be affected by the move, which means troops will remain in Afghanistan into 2015 - after combat operations are expected to end. | Up to 3,700 personnel could be affected by the move, which means troops will remain in Afghanistan into 2015 - after combat operations are expected to end. |
This is in order to finish returning valuable equipment to the UK after the end of operations, which MPs predict could cost up to £2bn. | This is in order to finish returning valuable equipment to the UK after the end of operations, which MPs predict could cost up to £2bn. |
'No policy change' | |
Mr Hammond told the Commons the Ministry of Defence had been looking at how best to "deploy declining numbers of troops". | Mr Hammond told the Commons the Ministry of Defence had been looking at how best to "deploy declining numbers of troops". |
He said service personnel serving more than seven-and-a-half months would be paid an extra allowance of £50 a day. | He said service personnel serving more than seven-and-a-half months would be paid an extra allowance of £50 a day. |
But the announcement would not affect future troop deployments and was "emphatically not a shift in policy". | But the announcement would not affect future troop deployments and was "emphatically not a shift in policy". |
Most international troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. | Most international troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. |
There are still questions over how many foreign soldiers will remain after the 2014 deadline, with an acceptance that some special forces will stay to conduct "counter-terror operations" and others to support and train Afghan forces. | There are still questions over how many foreign soldiers will remain after the 2014 deadline, with an acceptance that some special forces will stay to conduct "counter-terror operations" and others to support and train Afghan forces. |
Nato is in the process of handing over security control, and some strategically important areas have already been transferred to Afghan forces. | Nato is in the process of handing over security control, and some strategically important areas have already been transferred to Afghan forces. |
The UK - the second largest contributor to Nato's Afghanistan operation - has about 9,000 troops in Afghanistan. | The UK - the second largest contributor to Nato's Afghanistan operation - has about 9,000 troops in Afghanistan. |
'Heart sank' | |
The defence secretary said it was not possible to be precise about the number of British troops who would be affected by Tuesday's announcement. | |
But "current estimates suggest between 2,200 and 3,700 overall may deploy more than six-and-a-half months", he said. | |
Some 4,000 more will be brought home by this summer, with the remainder leaving before 2015. | |
The mother of one soldier who has been told to expect an eight- or nine-month tour said it would make life much harder for those serving and their families. | |
"He loves his job, but he's not happy about the length of time," said Jacqui, whose son was told about the extended deployment a month ago. | |
"When my son told me he was going on a longer tour my heart sank... It's so hard trying to remain positive and strong as it is without increasing the length they will be away." | |
British forces have been mainly based in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan after operations began in 2001. | British forces have been mainly based in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan after operations began in 2001. |