About 8,000 British troops based in Helmand province in Afghanistan are to come under the operational command of the US, the Ministry of Defence says.
Publish dateSunday 23 May 2010 - 09:39
Story Code : 18687
The move is part of a restructuring of Nato forces, with command and control in southern Afghanistan split into two.
The UK's Maj Gen Nick Carter will now oversee Kandahar, while Maj Gen Richard Mills from the US will take on Helmand.
Meanwhile, a British marine from 40 Commando Royal Marines has been killed in an explosion in Sangin.
The command of the 1,100-strong British battle group based in Sangin - an area which has seen a number of UK deaths recently - and in Kajaki will also come under US-led force from 1 June.
Asked about the changes at a news conference in Berlin, Prime Minister David Cameron said the move "does make good sense in terms of maximising the impact of what both we and the Americans are doing in the southern part of the country, which is absolutely vital".
"British and American troops have been working together in many theatres over many decades and don't have a problem working together," he said.
The changes were announced by Maj Gen Gordon Messenger, who told a news conference in central London that the changes made "complete sense" and were "welcome".
"The span and complexity of the command challenge in southern Afghanistan has increased enormously in recent months and these changes provide the best command support to the troops on the ground," he added.
Asked if the change meant Britain was effectively giving up its responsibilities and handing them over to the US, Maj Gen Messenger said that was "simply not the case".
He said: "This is us doing exactly the same job as we have been doing up to now, under slightly different arrangements.
"The whole business of a greater American presence is a reflection of the scale of the challenges that the British have faced in Helmand."
Maj Gen Messenger said Britain had been "closely involved" in the preparations for the change, stressing: "It in no way indicates that things have been going wrong previously."
The UK force level in Afghanistan is currently 9,500, but with special forces totals some 10,000.
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale previously reported how the recent influx of American forces meant there were now too many troops in too large a geographical area for just one command.
Meanwhile, footballer David Beckham is on his way to Helmand in a surprise visit to British troops.
The 35-year-old former England captain said he had "nothing but admiration" for UK troops who were doing an "amazing job... in very difficult conditions" and made him "very proud to be British".
The UK's Maj Gen Nick Carter will now oversee Kandahar, while Maj Gen Richard Mills from the US will take on Helmand.
Meanwhile, a British marine from 40 Commando Royal Marines has been killed in an explosion in Sangin.
The command of the 1,100-strong British battle group based in Sangin - an area which has seen a number of UK deaths recently - and in Kajaki will also come under US-led force from 1 June.
Asked about the changes at a news conference in Berlin, Prime Minister David Cameron said the move "does make good sense in terms of maximising the impact of what both we and the Americans are doing in the southern part of the country, which is absolutely vital".
"British and American troops have been working together in many theatres over many decades and don't have a problem working together," he said.
The changes were announced by Maj Gen Gordon Messenger, who told a news conference in central London that the changes made "complete sense" and were "welcome".
"The span and complexity of the command challenge in southern Afghanistan has increased enormously in recent months and these changes provide the best command support to the troops on the ground," he added.
Asked if the change meant Britain was effectively giving up its responsibilities and handing them over to the US, Maj Gen Messenger said that was "simply not the case".
He said: "This is us doing exactly the same job as we have been doing up to now, under slightly different arrangements.
"The whole business of a greater American presence is a reflection of the scale of the challenges that the British have faced in Helmand."
Maj Gen Messenger said Britain had been "closely involved" in the preparations for the change, stressing: "It in no way indicates that things have been going wrong previously."
The UK force level in Afghanistan is currently 9,500, but with special forces totals some 10,000.
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale previously reported how the recent influx of American forces meant there were now too many troops in too large a geographical area for just one command.
Meanwhile, footballer David Beckham is on his way to Helmand in a surprise visit to British troops.
The 35-year-old former England captain said he had "nothing but admiration" for UK troops who were doing an "amazing job... in very difficult conditions" and made him "very proud to be British".
Source : Afghan Voice Agency(AVA)
avapress.com/vdcbz0b8.rhbwwpe4ur.html
Top hits
