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| U.S. Marines, British troops end mission in restive Afghan province | U.S. Marines, British troops end mission in restive Afghan province |
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| KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines and British forces pulled out of Afghanistan’s Helmand province Monday, ending their engagement in a 13-year-old war that tested both militaries' ability to fight in a landlocked nation. | |
| In a secret 20-hour pullout from one of coalition’s largest bases in Afghanistan, the last of the 873 Marines and 350 British soldiers arrived in Kandahar from Helmand. The southwestern province has been the site of some of the war’s bloodiest combat, but large areas remain under the control of Taliban insurgents. | In a secret 20-hour pullout from one of coalition’s largest bases in Afghanistan, the last of the 873 Marines and 350 British soldiers arrived in Kandahar from Helmand. The southwestern province has been the site of some of the war’s bloodiest combat, but large areas remain under the control of Taliban insurgents. |
| The withdrawal also marks another step in the wider disengagement of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan. | The withdrawal also marks another step in the wider disengagement of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan. |
| In Helmand, they leave behind an unruly Afghan province that is now almost exclusively in the hands of Afghan security forces. The Marines and British forces will remain in Kandahar for a few days before traveling to bases in the United States and Britain. | In Helmand, they leave behind an unruly Afghan province that is now almost exclusively in the hands of Afghan security forces. The Marines and British forces will remain in Kandahar for a few days before traveling to bases in the United States and Britain. |
| “We are doing exactly what our commander in chief has asked us to do,” said Capt. James M. Geiger Jr., commander of a U.S. Marine weapons company. “We have taken great pride in this mission. We are the last Marines and were protecting the reputations of our brothers who paid the ultimate price.” | “We are doing exactly what our commander in chief has asked us to do,” said Capt. James M. Geiger Jr., commander of a U.S. Marine weapons company. “We have taken great pride in this mission. We are the last Marines and were protecting the reputations of our brothers who paid the ultimate price.” |
| During the early years of the war, British forces were largely in control of Helmand. But in 2008, President Obama dispatched tens of thousands of Marines to the province to try to back up a beleaguered force. | During the early years of the war, British forces were largely in control of Helmand. But in 2008, President Obama dispatched tens of thousands of Marines to the province to try to back up a beleaguered force. |
| About 400 British troops and more than 350 Marines were killed in Helmand. And as these troops leave the province for good, the Taliban continues to have effective control over large swaths of land there. About 20,000 Marines were posted in Helmand at the peak of the U.S. deployment, and commanders say their experiences will be studied and scrutinized for years by military planners. | |
| “I think the legacy is we can adapt to the environment, but, quite honestly, being in a landlocked country this long is probably not our forte,” said Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, commander of Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan. “We have always said we are an expeditionary force, and naval in character, but we will do what our country needs us to do, and I think we have done very well in a landlocked country.” | “I think the legacy is we can adapt to the environment, but, quite honestly, being in a landlocked country this long is probably not our forte,” said Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, commander of Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan. “We have always said we are an expeditionary force, and naval in character, but we will do what our country needs us to do, and I think we have done very well in a landlocked country.” |
| On Sunday, the Marines and British forces in Helmand formally gave the Afghan army two large bases and an airstrip that had been the hub of coalition forces in the area. | On Sunday, the Marines and British forces in Helmand formally gave the Afghan army two large bases and an airstrip that had been the hub of coalition forces in the area. |
| The troops packed their belongings and set fires to destroy sensitive documents and spare uniforms, and the pullout began later that day. | |
| Under tight security due to concerns about a last-minute attack by insurgents, dozens of C-130s and attack and transport helicopters landed near Camp Leatherneck and Camp Bastion to pick up the remaining troops, their weapons and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition. | Under tight security due to concerns about a last-minute attack by insurgents, dozens of C-130s and attack and transport helicopters landed near Camp Leatherneck and Camp Bastion to pick up the remaining troops, their weapons and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition. |
| U.S. Marines and British troops began quietly vacating their patrol towers around dawn. They were replaced by Afghan soldiers, who at times trudged through several feet of fine sand to assume their new responsibilities. | U.S. Marines and British troops began quietly vacating their patrol towers around dawn. They were replaced by Afghan soldiers, who at times trudged through several feet of fine sand to assume their new responsibilities. |
| The last Marines and British troops in Helmand left about 11:30 a.m. Monday in a formation of eight helicopters — two Hueys, four CH-53 “Super Stallions” and two Chinooks. | |
| “It was amazing to be a part of it, and surreal,” Capt. Anthony Nguyen, 33, a Marine from Houston, said after arriving in Kandahar on one of the last flights. | “It was amazing to be a part of it, and surreal,” Capt. Anthony Nguyen, 33, a Marine from Houston, said after arriving in Kandahar on one of the last flights. |
| “We’ve been there several years, and you see the base swell up with tens of thousands of people and then you are left with a few hundred and then down to zero,” he added. “We are not refugees or anything, but it kind of reminded me of scenes of Vietnam of people running to the helicopters.” | “We’ve been there several years, and you see the base swell up with tens of thousands of people and then you are left with a few hundred and then down to zero,” he added. “We are not refugees or anything, but it kind of reminded me of scenes of Vietnam of people running to the helicopters.” |
| The symbolism of the moment was not lost on Yoo, the commander. He left Helmand nearly 13 years after he first arrived. In November 2001, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Yoo was the operations commander for a Marine amphibious assault that secretly landed in Pakistan to kick off the war in Afghanistan. | The symbolism of the moment was not lost on Yoo, the commander. He left Helmand nearly 13 years after he first arrived. In November 2001, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Yoo was the operations commander for a Marine amphibious assault that secretly landed in Pakistan to kick off the war in Afghanistan. |
| Yoo then led U.S. forces opening up a southern flank of the war, pushing through Helmand before setting up a base of operations in neighboring Kandahar province. | Yoo then led U.S. forces opening up a southern flank of the war, pushing through Helmand before setting up a base of operations in neighboring Kandahar province. |
| A small contingent of U.S. Army troops remains at Camp Dwyer in southern Helmand. It will now be up to remaining coalition troops based in Kandahar province or Kabul, the capital, to help train and support Afghan forces there. | A small contingent of U.S. Army troops remains at Camp Dwyer in southern Helmand. It will now be up to remaining coalition troops based in Kandahar province or Kabul, the capital, to help train and support Afghan forces there. |
| The withdrawal of the Marines and British soldiers comes after a summer when Afghan forces faced repeated attacks from Taliban insurgents. In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports in the Afghan media that some districts of Helmand were in danger of being overrun by the Taliban. | The withdrawal of the Marines and British soldiers comes after a summer when Afghan forces faced repeated attacks from Taliban insurgents. In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports in the Afghan media that some districts of Helmand were in danger of being overrun by the Taliban. |
| “It’s much, much worse compared to last year,” said Mir Wali Khan, a member of parliament from Helmand province. “Without support from foreign troops, they do not have the support. So with the withdrawal, it will only get worse, and our Afghan forces will not be able to fight against the enemy.” | “It’s much, much worse compared to last year,” said Mir Wali Khan, a member of parliament from Helmand province. “Without support from foreign troops, they do not have the support. So with the withdrawal, it will only get worse, and our Afghan forces will not be able to fight against the enemy.” |
| But coalition and Afghan commanders say the reported strength of the Taliban has been exaggerated. Although there were several months of fierce fighting this summer near Sangin in northern Afghanistan, officials say the Taliban failed to seize either that city or any other major population center. | But coalition and Afghan commanders say the reported strength of the Taliban has been exaggerated. Although there were several months of fierce fighting this summer near Sangin in northern Afghanistan, officials say the Taliban failed to seize either that city or any other major population center. |
| “We have been training and planning for a very long time, and everything is ready,” Gen. Zamin Hassam, chief of staff for the Afghan Army’s 215 Corps, said Monday morning as he watched his troops take over responsibility for manning the main checkpoint into Camp Leatherneck. “I guarantee you, if they come and attack us 100 times, they will be defeated.” | “We have been training and planning for a very long time, and everything is ready,” Gen. Zamin Hassam, chief of staff for the Afghan Army’s 215 Corps, said Monday morning as he watched his troops take over responsibility for manning the main checkpoint into Camp Leatherneck. “I guarantee you, if they come and attack us 100 times, they will be defeated.” |
| The departing U.S. Marines — many of whom have served multiple tours in Afghanistan — also said they were optimistic that they have done all they could to ensure future success for Afghan forces. | The departing U.S. Marines — many of whom have served multiple tours in Afghanistan — also said they were optimistic that they have done all they could to ensure future success for Afghan forces. |
| “After a lot of blood, a lot of resources and a lot of treasure, I don’t think they can afford to lose it,” said Lance Cpl. Jordan Cruz, 27, of Brownsville, Tex. “But it’s important for the [American] people to know we are going home. We are closing up, flying home and giving back to the Afghans this piece of their land.” |