A Long And Arduous Journey: Reflecting On The British Military Presence In Afghanistan

British troops have been in Afghanistan since 2001, when they joined a NATO/ISAF-led military intervention to bring Al-Qaeda's leaders to justice and remove the Taliban from control of the country. The war in Afghanistan spanned three prime ministers and cost the lives of 453-457 British service personnel. The last combat troops left Afghanistan in 2014, but small numbers of British troops remained in the country in training and advisory roles. In 2021, British military personnel returned to Afghanistan as part of a multinational non-combatant evacuation operation following the Taliban's return to power.

British troops were in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014

By the end of 2001, the Taliban regime had collapsed, but ISAF remained to oversee the transition to a new government and provide security for the war-torn country's redevelopment. In 2006, as part of a reorganisation of ISAF under NATO control, British troops were deployed to Helmand Province in the south. Their role was to provide stability and security for reconstruction efforts, but they faced a violent resurgence from the Taliban.

The British troops operated out of Camp Bastion, a specially built base near Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital. They conducted patrols from Forward Operating Bases, Patrol Bases, and Checkpoints, facing a constant threat of ambush from insurgents who knew the local terrain. The Taliban increasingly used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to target troops, resulting in high casualties. 2009 was Britain's bloodiest year in Afghanistan, with 109 fatalities.

In 2010, NATO announced a timetable for the withdrawal of international forces, with control of security to be handed to the Afghan National Army and Police. In 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced the withdrawal of 500 troops, signalling the end of British combat missions in Afghanistan by December 2014. The British combat mission officially ended on 26 October 2014, with the handover of Camp Bastion to Afghan forces.

Some British troops remained in Afghanistan after 2014, primarily in training and advisory roles based in Kabul and Helmand. They continued to support a range of projects to improve education, healthcare, economic growth, and local governance. The last of these troops, along with those engaged in protection duties, remained until 2021 when all international forces left Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power.

The UK joined a NATO/ISAF-led intervention

The UK played a leading role in the intervention, including forming and commanding the first International Stabilisation and Assistance Force (ISAF) with Headquarters HQ 3(UK) Division in November 2001. The ISAF's initial role was to secure Kabul, the Afghan capital. By April 2002, there were 1,700 British soldiers working alongside other NATO allies.

In 2003, the UK deployed Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in the north of Afghanistan. By March 2004, the British also provided the bulk of a Quick Reaction Force based in Mazar-e-Sharif. However, the security situation was deteriorating, with the reorganised Taliban adopting the terror tactics of Iraqi insurgents. In January 2004, Private Jonathan Kitulagoda became the first British soldier to be killed in a combat role when a suicide bomber detonated their device next to his vehicle.

In 2006, as part of a reorganisation of ISAF (now under NATO control), British troops were sent to Helmand Province in the south. Their intended role was to provide stability and security for reconstruction projects. However, their arrival provoked a violent response from a resurgent Taliban. The British troops were soon drawn into combat operations, with Camp Bastion in Helmand becoming the base of British Operation Herrick, with 9,500 troops stationed there. The troops faced the constant threat of ambush from insurgents, who used their local knowledge and the landscape to their advantage.

In 2009, there were 108 fatalities among British troops, more than twice as many as the previous year. The Taliban increasingly used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to target troops in vehicles and on foot patrols. Despite the high number of casualties, the UK continued to play a leading role in ISAF. In 2010, the largest joint offensive of the conflict involved 15,000 British, American and Afghan troops pushing the Taliban from their strongholds in central Helmand.

In 2011, US Special Forces killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Following this, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced the withdrawal of 500 British troops, cutting total numbers to 9,000 by September 2012. He also signalled his intention to end all British combat missions in Afghanistan by December 2014. In October 2014, Camp Bastion was handed over to Afghan forces, marking the end of the British combat operation.

After the end of combat operations in 2014, British and NATO forces continued to commit significant resources to Afghanistan as part of NATO's new 'train, advise, assist' mission, known as Operation Toral. The UK played a key role in the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan, launched on 1 January 2015. British troops provided training and advisory roles within the Afghan National Army Officers' Academy and Infantry Branch School, among other Afghan institutions.

In August 2021, British military personnel arrived in Afghanistan as part of a multinational non-combatant evacuation operation, code-named Operation Pitting, to evacuate British and eligible Afghan nationals from Kabul following the rapid military offensive by the resurgent Taliban.

The Taliban's resurgence led to violent responses to British troops

The Taliban's resurgence in 2006 led to violent responses to British troops. The Taliban's insurgency began after their fall from power during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban regrouped and were ready to wage a guerrilla war to expel US and UK forces from Afghanistan.

In 2006, British troops were sent to Helmand Province in the south of Afghanistan. Their intended role was to provide stability and security for reconstruction projects, but their arrival provoked a violent response from a resurgent Taliban.

The Taliban began to adopt terror tactics, including suicide bombings and the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). In 2009, there were 108 fatalities among British troops, more than twice as many as the previous year.

The Taliban's insurgency continued strongly in 2011. The Taliban continued attacking and ambushing NATO and Afghan troops, as well as the targeted assassination of government officials.

In 2014, British combat troops left Afghanistan. However, the Taliban were still a potent force. On the day before British combat troops left, an Afghan police commander was killed by Taliban gunmen, and nationwide more than 4,000 Afghan security forces were killed in 2014.

In 2021, the Taliban launched a military offensive, resulting in the fall of the Kabul-based Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the end of the nearly 20-year War in Afghanistan. The Taliban victory had widespread domestic and international ramifications regarding human rights and the proliferation of terrorism.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were a constant threat

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were a prominent and new threat to British troops in Afghanistan. They were responsible for almost half of all British deaths in the country, killing 224 British soldiers. IEDs were made from a variety of everyday materials, from conventional military explosives to common tools and commercial explosives used in construction and mining. This made them hard to detect and particularly deadly to soldiers on foot patrol and in transport convoys.

The Taliban began using IEDs in 2008 to target troops in vehicles and on foot. Initially, casualties were high, but new equipment, clothing, and vehicles were developed to help meet the threat. IEDs were often hidden behind signs and guardrails, under debris, or inside animal carcasses. They were also placed in elevated positions to target less protected areas of armoured vehicles.

The psychological effects of IEDs on UK military personnel have been studied, with 18.8% of personnel who witnessed IED explosions scoring positive for common mental disorders, and 7.6% scoring positive for probable PTSD symptoms.

The British Army introduced sniffer dogs to help detect IEDs, and Engineer Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts disabled or destroyed IEDs using robotic ground vehicles and explosives. The Foxhound, a protected patrol vehicle, was also developed to protect against IEDs, thanks to its v-shaped hull.

IEDs were a constant threat to British troops in Afghanistan, and towards the end of the war, British personnel were responsible for training Afghan troops to locate and render IEDs safe.

The UK supported reconstruction projects in Helmand and across Afghanistan

The UK's involvement in Afghanistan has been about more than just military action. In Helmand, the UK has supported a wide range of projects to improve education, healthcare, economic growth and local governance.

In 2006, the UK set up the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (HPRT), a multi-national, multi-functional team that aimed to build on the improvements in security and stability brought about by the joint Afghan-NATO military operation. The HPRT worked with contractors, police, and military colleagues from the UK, USA, Denmark, and Estonia, as well as local Afghan staff, to bring development and good governance to Helmand Province.

The HPRT focused on 'bricks and mortar' projects, such as building roads, schools, health clinics, and police stations. This was necessary to ensure that Helmand had the infrastructure on which a functional society could be built. The team also worked to improve access to education and healthcare in the province. For example, the number of children enrolled in school increased from 54,000 in 2007 to 130,000 in 2013, including 30,000 girls, up from zero in 2001. Additionally, access to primary healthcare increased from 9% in 2003 to over half of the population.

The HPRT also worked to improve local governance in Helmand. They helped to set up a system of elected local representatives, known as District Community Councils, to build confidence in local government and bolster political stability. More than 40,000 people in Helmand have voted in these local elections, and those elected represent 80% of the province's population.

The UK also supported agricultural training centres in Helmand, which have trained over 150,000 local farmers, and market systems that have linked farmers and vendors. Additionally, the UK supported 36 small Helmand businesses to expand their operations.

The UK's development work in Helmand has helped to improve the lives of Afghans in the province. However, there are still significant challenges to be addressed, including the drugs trade, infrastructure, the economy, and ongoing insecurity. The UK has committed to continue providing development assistance to Afghanistan, including Helmand, to help address these challenges and build a more stable future for the country.

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