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| Final major Afghanistan deployment begins for UK troops | |
| (35 minutes 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. | 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." |