By IRNA,
London : British troops are preparing to withdraw from Sangin in Helmand province after suffering more than 100 deaths in the remote region, it was reported Wednesday.
Several UK dailies were briefed in advance of an announcement by Defence Secretary Liam Fox that the 1,100-strong British battle group based in Sangin will be replaced by American forces.
The retreat, which comes after around 8,000 British troops in Helmand were put under US command in a major restructuring plan last month, is expected to be completed when Royal Marines, currently holding the post, complete their tour of duty in October.
Around a third of the 312 fatalities suffered in Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taliban regime have been killed in the Sangin district, including more than 50, nearly half the total killed in the past 12 months.
Concern has been about the disproportionate number of British deaths. Since the start of this year the UK has lost 67 troops in Afghanistan, almost a third of the 210 US fatalities suffered but with ten times the number of troops deployed.
In preparation for the retreat announcement, a Ministry of Defence spokesman insisted that UK forces “continue to make real progress across Helmand including in Sangin, one of the most contested and challenging areas in southern Afghanistan.”
“Isaf [International Security Assistant Force] is responsible for ensuring the most effective allocation of international forces to deliver the campaign strategy in Afghanistan and the UK fully supports Isaf commanders in this aim,” the spokesman said.
The UK’s reduced role in handing over Helmand outposts comes after the American surge and the splitting of Regional Command in southern Afghanistan into two new headquarters based in Helmand and Kandahar.