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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UK troops pull out of Afghan town | UK troops pull out of Afghan town |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| British troops have pulled out of an Afghan town which has been a centre of Taleban insurgency in recent months. | British troops have pulled out of an Afghan town which has been a centre of Taleban insurgency in recent months. |
| Musa Qala, one of the district centres in Helmand province, has been the scene of intense fighting. | Musa Qala, one of the district centres in Helmand province, has been the scene of intense fighting. |
| Troops have withdrawn to an area outside the town to allow what locals have called a "ceasefire". However, the military has not used this term. | Troops have withdrawn to an area outside the town to allow what locals have called a "ceasefire". However, the military has not used this term. |
| Lieutenant Colonel Andy Price said the move was a "seed of hope" which the Army would "like to build on". | Lieutenant Colonel Andy Price said the move was a "seed of hope" which the Army would "like to build on". |
| "We certainly won't do anything in order to disrupt what we hope is an enduring Afghan solution. If it works we'll be very pleased," he said, in his role as UK taskforce spokesman. | "We certainly won't do anything in order to disrupt what we hope is an enduring Afghan solution. If it works we'll be very pleased," he said, in his role as UK taskforce spokesman. |
| He said it was hoped that similar deals could be made elsewhere. | He said it was hoped that similar deals could be made elsewhere. |
| Meanwhile, the BBC's Alastair Leithead said the movement of troops had been a "significant step". | Meanwhile, the BBC's Alastair Leithead said the movement of troops had been a "significant step". |
| The cessation of fighting has been in place for 35 days. | The cessation of fighting has been in place for 35 days. |
| British troops are allowing the local elders, who have brokered peace, to install their own police and their own groups to maintain the security of the town centre. | British troops are allowing the local elders, who have brokered peace, to install their own police and their own groups to maintain the security of the town centre. |