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Final major Afghanistan deployment begins for UK troops Final major Afghanistan deployment begins for UK 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.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 troops will remain there for nine months rather than the normal six.
Security maintained Taking control
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. A ceremony is due to take place at Camp Bastion on Thursday for the 1st Mechanised Brigade to formally hand over to the Germany-based Desert Rats.
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. BBC Afghanistan correspondent David Loyn, speaking from the British base at Camp Bastion, said a large part of the force is made up of engineers as attention turns to bringing back equipment and disposing of what cannot be returned.
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. Afghan forces will take the lead on all operations, but British troops have enough army and infantry for combat.
They have enough armour and infantry to protect themselves and take the war to the Taliban if they need to, our correspondent says. All combat operations in the country are expected to be over by the end of next year, leaving Afghan forces fully in control.
The outgoing commander, Brig Rupert Jones, said security would be maintained as British troops stepped back. The UK presence in Afghanistan will be almost halved by the end of this year to 5,200.
British troops are now placed at five bases - down from a peak of more than 130 - and rarely go on patrol.
The outgoing commander, Brig Rupert Jones, said he is confident Afghan forces are capable of taking control as UK troops step back.
He would not be drawn on comments made by President Hamid Karzai in a BBC interview which criticised the Nato exercise in Afghanistan for causing "a lot of suffering" and making "no gains".
Brig Jones said: "It's not really for me to comment on the observations of the president of this country, but what I can tell you is what I hear from local Afghan commanders and leaders, and what they say is they recognise the huge security progress that's been made in this country."
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 a final training exercise, named Pashtun Dawn, ahead of the deployment.
The exercise - the largest on the plain for 10 years - put members of the Germany-based brigade through their paces. The exercise was the largest on Salisbury Plain for 10 years.
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."