Kabul: British defence officials announced that the number of UK troops will fall to about 600 by autumn in Afghanistan.
Philip Hammon, British Defence Minister, said in a statement that the government of UK aims to cut troops level in Afghanistan by 5,200 by the end of 2013, according to Khaama Press.
The UK has deployed around 7,900 troops under the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan, which are mostly stationed in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.
All Nato combat troops are expected to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 after Afghan national security forces take full security lead across the country.
However, the UK is considering keeping a small residual force in Afghanistan beyond 2014 to assist with the training of Afghan national security forces and provide logistical advice and assistance to the government.
Hammond said that the figure of 6,000 troops could vary if “additional surges” were needed.
The Defence Secretary said reservists would continue to deploy to Afghanistan, with around 400 called up. The majority will serve on operations for around six months although reservists will be included in numbers stood down due to drawdown plans, he said.
The US believes it will strike a deal with Afghanistan that will allow some US troops to stay in the country beyond 2014, the top US diplomat on Afghanistan told Congress in Washington yesterday.
“Without an agreement on our presence in Afghanistan, we would not remain. But we do not believe that that’s the likely outcome of these negotiations,” James Dobbins, the State Department’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a Senate hearing.
“Unlike Iraq, to which comparisons are often made, the Afghans actually need us to stay. Most Afghans want us to stay. And we have promised to stay.”
Pakistan, however, is focusing on how to ‘secure’ its territory, as it does not rule out a ‘civil war’ again. It appears to be ready to face a blowback this time around.
“It is difficult to understand and uncertainties surround us — but if nothing moves we are heading towards a civil war (inside Afghanistan) which we want to avoid, especially, if all reconciliation efforts do not succeed then there is likelihood of civil war. Then there will be a spill-over into Pakistan and this will create its problems, especially from the Pakistan Taliban,” a diplomatic source said.
A contingency plan is vital to ensure that Pakistan’s territory is protected, he said. Agencies
