NEWS IN BRIEF
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EUROPE
25 Jul 09. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. UK deaths since the start of Operations in October 2001 have risen to 189, of whom 158 were killed as a result of hostile action. As confirmed by the MoD (25 Jul 09), the most recent fatalities are:-
* A Corporal from 2nd Bn The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was killed on 19 Jul 09, as a result of an explosion near Sangin.
* A Captain (Ammunition Technical Officer) from The Royal Logistic Corps was killed on 20 Jul 09 when dealing with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Nad-e-Ali District.
* A Coldstream Guardsman attached to 1st Bn Welsh Guards was killed on 22 Jul 09 by an IED in the Nad-e-Ali District.
* A Royal Artillery soldier attached to 3rd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland was killed on 25 Jul 09 as a result of an explosion in Lashkar Gah District.
There are approximately 170,000 members of the Afghan National Security Forces, about 7,500 of whom are in Helmand Province. (Ministerial Answer (MA), 20 Jul 09.)
No individuals killed or detained by UK Forces in Afghanistan have been confirmed as having Chinese nationality. (MA, 20 Jul 09.)
418 IED detonations were recorded in Regional Command (South) during the first five months of 2009.(MA, 20 Jul 09.)
Chinook, Sea King and Lynx helicopters are currently deployed for combat support roles. Apache attack helicopters are also deployed. (MA, 20 Jul 09.) In addition to NATO arrangements the UK maintains a national contract for freight-carrying helicopters, providing 340 hours of use for some £3.9m per month. (MoD, 20 Jul 09.)
4,000 members of the specially formed 11 Light Brigade have been training on Salisbury Plain. Brigadier
J M Cowan commands the Brigade, which is to deploy to Afghanistan in October 2009 (OP HERRICK 11). (MoD, 23 Jul 09.)
125 reinforcements from 19 Regiment Royal Artillery, 2nd Bn The Yorkshire Regiment and Counter-IED personnel are deploying from 27 Jul 09 until October 2009. (Defence Secretary, 24 Jul 09.)
Comment: World Pubic Opinion conducted a 20-nation survey on attitudes about NATO Forces in Afghanistan. The poll of 19,178 respondents was conducted between 4 Apr and 18 Jun 09 and found that 53% believed that the Afghan people wanted NATO Forces to leave while 30% assumed that the Afghans want NATO to stay. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/28, 27 Jul 09)
24 Jul 09. Iraq: OP TELIC/OP BROCKDALE. MV Anvil Point, an MoD Ro-Ro logistics vessel, docked (24 Jul 09) at Marchwood Military Port. The ship carried a cargo of vehicles, stores and equipment evacuated from Iraq via Kuwait. An Agreement between the Government of Iraq and NATO, covering the training of Iraqi Security Forces, was signed (26 Jul 09). The Agreement provides the legal basis for NATO to continue its mission to assist the Government of Iraq.
Comment: As previously mentioned, the MoD has already announced that a “separate small UK Force
may remain” in Iraq after 31 Jul 09 “subject to the agreement of the Iraqi Government”. That agreement has now been reached. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS AN