England's Military Presence In Afghanistan: Understanding Troop Deployment And The Country's Ongoing Commitment

British troops were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US. The Taliban regime, which had governed Afghanistan since 1996, had sheltered the Al-Qaeda terrorist network responsible for the attacks. The UK joined a NATO/ISAF-led military intervention to bring Al-Qaeda's leaders to justice, remove the Taliban from control in Afghanistan and prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. The UK also aimed to help rebuild and stabilise the country.

The UK's role in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

The UK played a leading role in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The ISAF was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. The UK was the first to form and command the ISAF with Headquarters HQ 3(UK) Division in November 2001.

The ISAF was established by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386 pursuant to the Bonn Agreement, which outlined the establishment of a permanent Afghan government following the U.S. invasion in October 2001. The ISAF's primary goal was to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key government institutions.

The ISAF's initial mandate was to secure the Afghan capital of Kabul and its surrounding area against opposition forces to facilitate the formation of the Afghan Transitional Administration headed by Hamid Karzai. In 2003, NATO took command of the mission at the request of the UN and Afghan government, marking its first deployment outside Europe and North America.

The UK's role in the ISAF was to assist the Afghan government in exercising and extending its authority across the country and creating a secure environment, with a view to paving the way for reconstruction and effective governance. The UK also supported the counter-narcotics efforts of the Afghan government.

In 2006, the UK redeployed in strength, focusing on Helmand Province in the south. Over 3,000 troops were sent to help with reconstruction efforts. They operated out of Camp Bastion, a specially built base in the desert near the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.

The UK also led Operation Panther's Claw, a major operation to provide security for the 2009 presidential election. The operation secured canal and river crossings in Helmand around Lashkar Gah.

The UK continued to play a role in the ISAF until the end of the mission in 2014.

The Taliban's resurgence and use of IEDs

The Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan has been marked by their use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) as a weapon of choice. IEDs are homemade bombs that are cheap and easy to construct, requiring a wide range of materials that are readily available or can be sourced from neighbouring countries. The Taliban's use of IEDs has resulted in a high number of civilian casualties and has hindered political, social, and economic development in Afghanistan.

The Taliban began using IEDs in 2004, with 308 makeshift bombs that year, and the number has increased steadily over the years. In 2009, there were 7,155 IEDs planted by the Taliban, and the number of attacks has continued to rise. IEDs have become the leading cause of conflict-related civilian death in Afghanistan every year since 2001, with the exception of 2014 and 2016. The Taliban are responsible for the majority of IED attacks in Afghanistan in the last decade, and such attacks have become widespread.

IEDs are often detonated remotely or by tripwires, and they are placed in populated areas to cause maximum casualties and spread fear. They are also used to target security forces, with road-side bombs being the most common type of IED attack. The use of IEDs allows lightly armed militants to engage with better-equipped security forces without exposing themselves, thus tipping the balance in an asymmetric conflict.

The impact of IEDs is devastating, with thousands of civilians killed and injured, including women and children. IEDs have also taken a toll on security forces, with a significant number of US and British troops killed by IEDs in Afghanistan. The use of IEDs by the Taliban has limited the mobility of troops and disrupted humanitarian aid efforts.

Efforts to counter IEDs have been challenging due to their covert and rough-and-ready manufacture. However, there have been some initiatives put in place by governments and international organizations to address the issue. The United Nations, for example, has developed guidelines and best practices to address the diversion of materials used for IEDs and has launched an initiative to interdict the cross-border transfer of high-risk explosive precursor chemicals.

The resurgence of the Taliban and their use of IEDs has had a significant impact on the security and stability of Afghanistan, causing widespread harm and disruption to communities across the country.

The UK's training and advisory role in Afghanistan

The UK has played a leading role in the training and mentoring of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) since 2001. The ANSF now has security responsibility for Afghanistan's 30 million citizens.

Since the drawdown of force elements, British troops have been stationed in Kabul, where they take the lead within the Kabul Security Force (KSF), a 7-nation organisation that provides force protection for UK and coalition advisors. The KSF includes the British Army's Quick Reaction Force (QRF), an armed military unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations.

The UK has also provided mentors who work in a training and advisory role within the Afghan National Army Officers' Academy and Infantry Branch School, dubbed 'Sandhurst in the sand'. The academy has now trained over 5,000 Afghan National Army (ANA) officers, including 300 women.

The UK has committed £70 million a year until at least 2017 for developing the Afghan National Security Forces. This funding contributes to a wider fund put together by Afghanistan and the international community to ensure that Afghan forces can maintain national security.

• Submarines of the Royal Navy who carried out missile strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan in the days after 9/11
• Airmen and women who have ensured 24/7 air support in inhospitable environments
• Soldiers and Royal Marines commandos who have led combat operations and trained their Afghan counterparts to take the security lead

The UK's combat operations in Afghanistan

The UK played a leading role in these efforts, including forming and commanding the first International Stabilisation and Assistance Force (ISAF) in November 2001. The UK also contributed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), an American-led mission. The British Army's operations in Afghanistan were conducted under the codename Operation Herrick from 2002 until the end of combat operations in 2014.

In the early years of the conflict, British troops were primarily focused on providing security and supporting the transition to a new government. They became part of a multinational force, the ISAF, with most troops based in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, and a small number in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The UK also operated a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to assist with reconstruction projects.

By 2004, NATO had expanded its role in Afghanistan and decided to deploy troops across the entire country. The UK agreed to send forces to Helmand in the south. However, the arrival of British soldiers in the spring of 2006 coincided with a resurgence of Taliban activity in the region, leading to violent clashes between UK troops and insurgents. The Taliban began using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which inflicted heavy casualties on British forces.

In 2009, the UK troop numbers in Afghanistan peaked at around 10,000. Discussions about the withdrawal of NATO forces began in 2010, and in 2011, the US announced the planned withdrawal of US soldiers. The UK forces shifted their focus to training Afghanistan's security forces and began handing over key areas of Helmand Province to Afghan control.

In 2014, the UK formally ended its combat operations in Afghanistan, and most British troops returned home. However, a small contingent of British troops remained as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission to continue training and assisting Afghan security forces. This commitment was reiterated by NATO in 2018.

The UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan

The initial goal of the UK and its allies was to bring Al-Qaeda's leaders to justice, remove the Taliban from control, and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists again. By 2002, the Taliban regime had collapsed, and an interim government was put in place. The UK and other nations then formed the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was backed by the United Nations (UN). The role of ISAF was to secure Kabul, the Afghan capital, and provide security for the redevelopment of the war-torn country.

In 2003, the UK deployed Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in the north of Afghanistan, and by 2004, British troops provided the bulk of a Quick Reaction Force based in Mazar-e-Sharif. However, the security situation was deteriorating, and the Taliban began to copy the terror tactics of Iraqi insurgents. In 2006, British troops were redeployed to Helmand Province in the south of the country, where they faced heavy firefights and intense operations against the Taliban.

In 2010, UK troop numbers reached their peak, with around 10,000 troops deployed across Afghanistan. However, discussions about the withdrawal of NATO forces began in the same year, and in 2011, US President Barack Obama announced the planned withdrawal of US soldiers. Over the next few years, the UK shifted its focus to training Afghanistan's security forces and began handing over key areas of Helmand Province to Afghan control.

In 2014, the UK formally ended all combat operations in Afghanistan, and most British troops returned home. However, a small number of British troops remained in the country to continue training and advisory roles, particularly in Kabul and Helmand. This marked the end of Operation Herrick, the codename for all British operations in the War in Afghanistan since 2002.

The withdrawal of UK and US troops from Afghanistan was completed in 2021, with the last British troops leaving the country in August of that year. The speed of the Taliban's resurgence and their swift takeover of the country took many by surprise. The withdrawal sparked criticism and concerns about the future of Afghanistan, with some arguing that the gains made over the past two decades, such as improvements in women's rights and access to education, would be lost under Taliban rule.

The UK's role in Afghanistan spanned nearly 20 years and cost the lives of 453-457 British service personnel. The legacy of the British campaign is debated, with questions about the clarity of British strategy and the effectiveness of their efforts in achieving long-term stability in the country.

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