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EUROPE
26 Feb 10. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. UK deaths since the start of Operations on 7 Oct 01 have risen to 266, of whom 233 were killed as a result of hostile action. As confirmed by the MoD (26 Feb 10), the recent fatalities are:-
* A senior Aircraftman from the RAF Regiment was killed by an IED (improvised explosive device) while patrolling to protect Kandahar Airfield on 24 Feb 10.
* A Rifleman (i.e. Private) from 4th Bn The Rifles was shot and killed in Sangin on 25 Feb 10.
* A soldier from 28 Engineer Regiment died of wounds following an explosion West of Lashkar Gah on 26 Feb 10.
The first Combat Logistic Patrol of OP MOSHTARAK, made up of 35 vehicles, delivered heavy equipment and supplies to the front line. (MoD, 22 Feb 10.)
Camp Bastion houses some 14,500 UK, US and other NATO troops as well as civilian personnel. The Camp is protected by the RAF Regiment. (MoD, 22 Feb 10.)
Afghanistan was among the topics covered in House of Commons Defence Oral Questions. (Hansard,
22 Feb 10.)
As the stabilisation phase of OP MOSHTARAK starts to take place, Royal Engineers are making improvements to the local infrastructure. (MoD, 23 Feb 10.)
2,000 Afghans have registered for the ‘cash for work’ programme around Nad ‘Ali. (MoD, 23 Feb 10.)
The Defence Cultural Specialist Unit (DCSU) has been established and the first (one and two-star) Commander’s Cultural Briefing has taken place. The DCSU will come into being officially at RAF Henlow on
1 Apr 10. (MoD, 24 Feb 10.)
The stabilisation phase of OP MOSHTARAK around Nad ‘Ali continues. (MoD, 24 Feb 10.)
The Afghan flag was raised again over Marjah on 25 Feb 10. Markets in Nad ‘Ali and Marjah are starting to open again. (ISAF/MoD, 26 Feb 10.)
Comment: An ‘exclusive’ interview by the Chief of the General Staff was published in ‘The Daily Telegraph’
(27 Feb 10). General Richards was quoted as saying that: “The combat role [in Afghanistan] will start to decline in 2011, but we will remain militarily engaged in training and support roles for another five years and we will remain in a support role for many years to come.”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/10, 01 Mar 10)
27 Feb 10. UK troops to remain in Afghanistan ‘for five years’. Britain will be “militarily engaged” in Afghanistan for a further five years, the head of the Army has said. General Sir David Richards told the Daily Telegraph, while on a visit to Helmand, that he expected the military conflict to “trail off in 2011”. But British troops will continue in training and support roles, he said. He also warned that coalition troops could not afford to fail and said UK forces now “for the first time” had the resources they had wanted. Sir David said in August that he believed the UK would be committed to Afghanistan “in some manner” for the next 30 or 40 years, possibly through roles in development, governance and security sector reform. Sir David said: “The combat role will start to decline in 2011, but we will remain military engaged in training and support roles for another five years, and we will remain in a support role for many years to come. I do not think we