NEWS IN BRIEF
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EUROPE
11 Jan 10. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Captain from The Royal Logistic Corps (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) was killed as a result of an explosion in the Musa Qaleh area on 11 Jan 10. Two soldiers from 3rd Bn The Rifles were killed as a result of an explosion near Sangin on 15 Jan 10. UK deaths since the start of Operations on 7 Oct 01 thus rose to 249, of whom 216 were killed as a result of hostile action. (MoD, 15 Jan 10.)
A British journalist, ’embedded’ with the US Marine Corps, died of wounds following an explosion North West of Nawa on 9 Jan 10. A British photographer was wounded in the same explosion. (MoD, 10 Jan 10.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 31 Dec 09, 1,062 UK personnel were Wounded in Action and 2,947 were aeromedically evacuated. (MoD, 15 Jan 10.) From 16 to 31 Dec 09 the figures were 28 and 54.
The key focus of Operations over the next few months will be in the ungoverned spaces to the West and South West of Lashkar Gah. (MoD, 8 Jan 10.)
The Foreign Secretary visited Pakistan (9/10 Jan 10) to discuss plans for Afghanistan, in advance of the London Conference. (FCO, 9 Jan 10.) The Foreign Secretary visited Afghanistan (15 Jan 10) to meet British troops and civilian staff. (FCO, 15 Jan 10.)
The Commander of Regional Command South has already had an additional 20,000 troops and is to receive another 21,000. (Ministerial Answer (MA), 11 Jan 10.)
Caveats are agreed between contributing ISAF nations and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, as conditions for their deployment. (MA, 11 Jan 10.)
A dilapidated mosque in Sangin was restored by British troops working with the Afghan National Army.
(MoD, 11 Jan 10.)
6.2% of the Infantry are currently unable to deploy on Operations for medical reasons and 5.4% for non-medical reasons (such as being under 18 or awaiting a disciplinary hearing). (MoD, 12 Jan 10.)
40 Commando, Royal Marines, have been hosting Pashto language and Afghan cultural awareness courses in Taunton. (MoD, 13 Jan 10.)
Since 2006, the MoD has spent £10,000m on equipment for the front line. (MoD, 13 Jan 10.)
All those deployed on OP HERRICK 12 [from April 2010] will be issued with new Multi Terrain Pattern (MTP) camouflage clothing. (RAF News, 15 Jan 10.)
As at 31 Dec 09, 15 people were held in detention by UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan. (MA, 14 Jan 10.)
A number of British soldiers are working with the NATO Training Mission. (MoD, 15 Jan 10.)
Comment: The London Conference on Afghanistan is to take place on 28 Jan 10 in Lancaster House, with a media centre in Green Park. The Conference is to be co-hosted by the UN Secretary-General, President Karzai and the UK Prime Minister. Among those invited to attend are Foreign Ministers from ISAF troop contributing nations (as listed in DNA Issue 10/02).
The UN in Afghanistan recorded 2,412 civilian casualties during 2009, of whom 1,630 (67.6%) were attributed to anti-Government elements and 596 (24.7%) were attributed to pro-Government Forces. (UN HQ, 13 Jan 10.)
‘Afghanistan’ was debated in the House of Commons on 14 Jan 10. The