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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Final Afghanistan deployment begins for British troops | Final Afghanistan deployment begins for British troops |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The last major British force to go to Helmand in southern Afghanistan has begun its deployment. | The last major British force to go to Helmand in southern Afghanistan has begun its deployment. |
| The 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats, has arrived to complete the UK mission, Operation Herrick. | The 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats, has arrived to complete the UK mission, Operation Herrick. |
| The troops' main role will be to pack equipment ahead of the final British pullout next year - they are intended to do very little fighting because Afghan forces will take the lead. | |
| Some of the troops will remain for nine months rather than the normal six. | Some of the troops will remain for nine months rather than the normal six. |
| Security maintained | Security maintained |
| BBC Afghanistan correspondent David Loyn at the British base in Camp Bastion said the handover was different from previous ones because the nature of the war had changed. | BBC Afghanistan correspondent David Loyn at the British base in Camp Bastion said the handover was different from previous ones because the nature of the war had changed. |
| British troops were in more than 130 bases at one time, but are down to five and that will reduce even more, and they now rarely go on patrol. | British troops were in more than 130 bases at one time, but are down to five and that will reduce even more, and they now rarely go on patrol. |
| The composition has changed as well, with a large part of the force made up of engineers and logisticians involved in bringing back what equipment they can and disposing of what they cannot. | The composition has changed as well, with a large part of the force made up of engineers and logisticians involved in bringing back what equipment they can and disposing of what they cannot. |
| They have enough armour and infantry to protect themselves and take the war to the Taliban if they need to, our correspondent says. | They have enough armour and infantry to protect themselves and take the war to the Taliban if they need to, our correspondent says. |
| The outgoing commander, Brig Rupert Jones, said security would be maintained as British troops stepped back. | The outgoing commander, Brig Rupert Jones, said security would be maintained as British troops stepped back. |
| Afghan forces were more than capable of doing the job for themselves, he added. | Afghan forces were more than capable of doing the job for themselves, he added. |
| 'Confident and prepared' | 'Confident and prepared' |
| Six thousand soldiers and 300 armoured vehicles took part in their final training exercise - Pashtun Dawn - on Salisbury Plain just over a month ago before heading off to Afghanistan. | Six thousand soldiers and 300 armoured vehicles took part in their final training exercise - Pashtun Dawn - on Salisbury Plain just over a month ago before heading off to Afghanistan. |
| The exercise - the largest on the plain for 10 years - put members of the Germany-based brigade through their paces. | The exercise - the largest on the plain for 10 years - put members of the Germany-based brigade through their paces. |
| Operation Herrick 19, the latest deployment, runs until June 2014 with troop numbers being reduced to 5,200 by the end of 2013. | Operation Herrick 19, the latest deployment, runs until June 2014 with troop numbers being reduced to 5,200 by the end of 2013. |
| Incoming commander Brig James Woodham said: "Our unsung heroes are our spouses, our children and our families. Herrick 19 is going to be different, but our people are confident and well prepared." | Incoming commander Brig James Woodham said: "Our unsung heroes are our spouses, our children and our families. Herrick 19 is going to be different, but our people are confident and well prepared." |
| In preparation for the deployment, hundreds of woolly hats have been knitted by volunteers in Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield in Hertfordshire to help the Desert Rats through the tough Afghan winter. | In preparation for the deployment, hundreds of woolly hats have been knitted by volunteers in Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield in Hertfordshire to help the Desert Rats through the tough Afghan winter. |
| The campaign was launched by Afghanistan veteran Jonny Ball who is the constituency agent of local Conservative MP Grant Shapps. | The campaign was launched by Afghanistan veteran Jonny Ball who is the constituency agent of local Conservative MP Grant Shapps. |