London, July 5, IRNA – More than 250 British soldiers have been wounded in action in Afghanistan, including nearly 70 seriously or very seriously injured, in less than six months this year, according to new figures.
Between the start of May to June 15, the number injured reached an average of two each day. In addition, a further 393 have been admitted to field hospital with non-battle injuries or illnesses so far this year.
British troops are already suffering the bloodiest year in Afghanistan, with 67 fatalities in the first six months, more than double the 32 killed in the same period in 2009.
In February, the death toll from the nine-year war overtook the 255 soldiers that died in the 1982 Falklands war against Argentina. The total reached 310 last weekend.
Former High Representative in Bosnia, Lord Ashdown, warned Monday it was now time to accept that a plan B may be needed as it is “the beginning of the endgame”.
“A victor’s peace is probably no longer within our reach. We may have to accept a peace on terms that are much more uncomfortable,” the former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats said.
In an interview with the Times newspaper, he accused Western governments of failing to convince their public of the need for the Afghan war and also criticised US President Barack Obama for saying US troops will begin pulling out from Afghanistan next year.
“Maybe President Obama didn’t quite mean what he said when he announced the start of the US withdrawal, But words, even inadvertent ones, have a momentum of their own,” said Ashdown, who was also a former Royal Marine.