A.Rafay
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2012
- Messages
- 11,400
- Reaction score
- 10
- Country
- Location
David Cameron has told MPs that 3,800 British troops - almost half of the current force serving in Helmand province - are to be withdrawn from Afghanistan next year.
Troop numbers are already being reduced from 9,500 to 9,000 before Christmas.
And numbers would fall to about 5,200 by the end of 2013, Mr Cameron told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions.
All Nato operations are due to finish by the end of 2014, with responsibility being transferred to Afghan forces.
Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said the UK will remain committed to Afghanistan beyond next year.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is expected to give more details to MPs on the situation in Afghanistan, from 12:30 GMT.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed he had spoken to the UK Prime Minister David Cameron by phone.
A statement from the Afghan presidential palace said: "They talked to each other about the peace process, the successful security transition and about the agenda of trilateral talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan and UK which are going to be held next month."
'On track'
The decision on the pace of withdrawal was agreed at a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, at which officials said politicians and military chiefs were in consensus on the timetable.
Mr Cameron also discussed Afghanistan in an hour-long video conference with US President Barack Obama, during which they agreed that Nato's strategy to withdraw combat troops by the end of next year was "on track".
"This would present further opportunities for International Security Assistance Force countries to bring troops home next year and they agreed to stay in close touch as detailed plans develop," a Downing Street spokesman added.
"They also agreed on joint work to strengthen the political process, particularly supporting Afghanistan and her neighbours to work together for stability, building on the trilateral discussions with Pakistan led by the UK."
The US currently has about 60,000 troops in Afghanistan, after withdrawing some 23,000 this year. The White House is expected to spell out its plans for withdrawal in January.
Mr Cameron said he was "confident" of meeting his promise to bring the majority of UK troops home by the end of 2014 while on a trip to Afghanistan in July.
He said reductions in troops before then would be done in an "ordered and sensible" fashion.
Since 2001, 422 British personnel have died in Afghanistan.
BBC News - UK to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan during 2013
Troop numbers are already being reduced from 9,500 to 9,000 before Christmas.
And numbers would fall to about 5,200 by the end of 2013, Mr Cameron told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions.
All Nato operations are due to finish by the end of 2014, with responsibility being transferred to Afghan forces.
Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said the UK will remain committed to Afghanistan beyond next year.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is expected to give more details to MPs on the situation in Afghanistan, from 12:30 GMT.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed he had spoken to the UK Prime Minister David Cameron by phone.
A statement from the Afghan presidential palace said: "They talked to each other about the peace process, the successful security transition and about the agenda of trilateral talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan and UK which are going to be held next month."
'On track'
The decision on the pace of withdrawal was agreed at a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, at which officials said politicians and military chiefs were in consensus on the timetable.
Mr Cameron also discussed Afghanistan in an hour-long video conference with US President Barack Obama, during which they agreed that Nato's strategy to withdraw combat troops by the end of next year was "on track".
"This would present further opportunities for International Security Assistance Force countries to bring troops home next year and they agreed to stay in close touch as detailed plans develop," a Downing Street spokesman added.
"They also agreed on joint work to strengthen the political process, particularly supporting Afghanistan and her neighbours to work together for stability, building on the trilateral discussions with Pakistan led by the UK."
The US currently has about 60,000 troops in Afghanistan, after withdrawing some 23,000 this year. The White House is expected to spell out its plans for withdrawal in January.
Mr Cameron said he was "confident" of meeting his promise to bring the majority of UK troops home by the end of 2014 while on a trip to Afghanistan in July.
He said reductions in troops before then would be done in an "ordered and sensible" fashion.
Since 2001, 422 British personnel have died in Afghanistan.
BBC News - UK to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan during 2013
