Monday 20 September 2010

British isles troops depart Helmand's Sangin

British causes in Afghanistan have handed through obligation for security in Sangin to US causes, marking the end of their four-year objective inside location.

The 1,000 Royal Marines and other personnel are currently being redeployed to central Helmand province.

The united kingdom has suffered its heaviest losses in Sangin. From the 337 British isles deaths because 2001, a 3rd have occurred there.

Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox mentioned British isles troops really should be "proud of their achievements".

He mentioned Sangin was "one of the most difficult parts of Afghanistan".

"The degree of sacrifice continues to be large and we really should by no means forget the many courageous troops who definitely have lost their lives inside pursuit of accomplishment in an global objective rooted firmly in our own personal countrywide security inside British isles," he mentioned.

British troops will redeploy to central Helmand, in which they may carry on to lead the combat towards the insurgency and assist in creating a steady and safe Afghanistan, he extra.

British isles causes are actually inside location because 2006, and 106 British isles personnel are actually wiped out, 36 this year alone. The MoD announced in July that British troops ended up being being changed by US causes.

Control was formally handed through from British isles causes to the US Marine Corps at 0630 BST.

The BBC's Ian Pannell in Kabul mentioned there could be a bodily handover, using the union jack lowered along with the US flag raised, but minor would change over a practical degree.

He mentioned some members of the forty Commando Fight Group received previously left, along with the handover could be staggered through the coming weeks.

Describing it as a "totemic" minute for that British isles, he mentioned Sangin was the most risky district in Helmand - if not the entire of Afghanistan.

On the latest pay a visit to to the location, he witnessed a very long challenge during which a variety of US soldiers, Afghan soldiers and civilians sustained injuries.

"Although development continues to be created, the location remains incredibly challenging. It's a important battleground for insurgents and coalition causes.

"The reality is, the Americans will now have to try and finish the work that Britain began," he extra.

Ian Sadler, whose son Jack was wiped out when a landmine exploded underneath his army Land Rover near Sangin in 2007, mentioned he was glad troops ended up being finding out of the location.

"We are pulling out of a hotspot. It really is a especially risky location of Afghanistan, so it can be a superb matter," he advised the BBC.

The previous serviceman mentioned it was portion of a soldier's work to keep shifting on.

"They will likely be unhappy for the ones who are actually wiped out, for individuals who have lost their arms and legs," he extra. "But Sangin is like staying at a bad hotel - you are glad when you do not go back again."

Col Stuart Tootal, previous commander of 3 Para, the initial challenge group sent into Sangin, says the location will always be vital for British causes.

"We can't dismiss the emotion the British are going to attach to Sangin. I imply my own personal challenge group went in there four years ago and half our casualties ended up being lost in Sangin," he mentioned.

The handover "makes pragmatic excellent sense because it permits the British to focus on their major work inside centre of the province," he extra.
'Poignant moment'

MoD spokesman Maj Gen Gordon Messenger, a previous commander of the British isles Helmand job pressure, mentioned it was "absolutely not" a pull-out .


Though development received been slower in Sangin than in other elements of Helmand, he admitted, British efforts received not been worthless.

"It's a hugely essential level that the Afghan flag flies inside district centre of Sangin, and that the folks of Sangin along with the surrounding location recognise that and see the positive aspects of it," he mentioned.

"By contesting Sangin, by showing improvement in Sangin, we're in a position to deflect violence that might otherwise by exported in to the populated parts in central Helmand."

The commanding officer of forty Commando group, Lt Col Paul James, mentioned the handover was a "poignant moment" tinged with sadness, however the overwhelming emotion was one among satisfaction.

"I consider we have achieved vital accomplishment right here, producing Sangin a much more steady and peaceful spot.

"And almost certainly just as importantly, the Afghan countrywide security causes that we have partnered right here are now starting to have the opportunity to stand on their own two feet and take around the obligation for delivering Sangin for on their own.

"It's not going being British causes who supply accomplishment in Sangin and it can be not going being American causes.

"It's not going being anybody else aside from the Afghans on their own."

Lt Col Clay Tipton, from the US Marine Corps, mentioned British isles and US troops received been doing work collectively in Sangin for that past couple of months, and their work now was to "continue the success".

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul says Sangin can be a city of about 20,000 folks along with the location can be a very important provide route for that Taliban, with men, income and medication passing as a result of it.

He mentioned British patrol bases ended up being previously currently being shut down along with the Royal Marines who served there are frustrated at getting to depart a spot they fought so difficult for.

"As the British objective in Sangin ends, questions remain whether there ended up being ever adequate resources to total the work," he mentioned. "Even so, the American pressure will cover the identical quantity of ground, having a related variety of troops."

There are about 9,500 British isles troops in Afghanistan, using the vast majority deployed inside south of the country.

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