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06/07/2011
PM Announces UK Troop Withdrawals From Afghanistan
The UK will be able to reduce its force levels in Afghanistan from 9,500 to 9,000 by the end of 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron announced today.
This follows the withdrawal of 426 UK military personnel by February 2012 that has already been announced.
It follows President Obama's announcement last month that the US will withdraw 10,000 of its forces from Afghanistan by the end of this year and will complete the removal of the US surge of 33,000 by the end of the summer of next year. At the time of the US surge, the UK increased its core force levels by an extra 500.
Mr Cameron said that the decision to withdraw British troops by a further 500 by the end of 2012 has been agreed by the National Security Council on the advice of military commanders. He added that these reductions reflect the progress that is being made in building up the Afghan National Security Forces.
During a statement to the House of Commons today Mr Cameron said: "We are now entering a new phase in which the Afghan forces will do more of the fighting and patrolling, and our forces more training and mentoring.
"As President Obama said in his address last month, the mission is changing from 'combat to support'.
"When we arrived there was no-one to hand over to - no proper army, no police force.
"In many places across the country the Afghan National Security Forces now stand ready to begin the process of taking over security responsibility."
(BMcN/GK)
This follows the withdrawal of 426 UK military personnel by February 2012 that has already been announced.
It follows President Obama's announcement last month that the US will withdraw 10,000 of its forces from Afghanistan by the end of this year and will complete the removal of the US surge of 33,000 by the end of the summer of next year. At the time of the US surge, the UK increased its core force levels by an extra 500.
Mr Cameron said that the decision to withdraw British troops by a further 500 by the end of 2012 has been agreed by the National Security Council on the advice of military commanders. He added that these reductions reflect the progress that is being made in building up the Afghan National Security Forces.
During a statement to the House of Commons today Mr Cameron said: "We are now entering a new phase in which the Afghan forces will do more of the fighting and patrolling, and our forces more training and mentoring.
"As President Obama said in his address last month, the mission is changing from 'combat to support'.
"When we arrived there was no-one to hand over to - no proper army, no police force.
"In many places across the country the Afghan National Security Forces now stand ready to begin the process of taking over security responsibility."
(BMcN/GK)
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