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Listing examples, he said that previously lawless areas of Afghanistan now had governance, more than seven million children were now in school and growing numbers of Afghans had access to healthcare.

Sir Jock continued: “Nowhere is the battle for the future of Afghanistan more pressing than in Helmand, the focus of the British effort, where UK forces have magnificently taken the fight to the Taliban and put them on the back foot.

“Make no mistake, the Taliban influence is waning, and through British blood, determination and grit, a window of opportunity has been opened.”

But he warned that this progress could “quickly unravel” without a “continuing and energised” international commitment. Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, commander of Task Force Helmand, said the 100th death was an “unwanted milestone” and a “tragic reminder of the human price” British forces are paying.

Times Archive, 1880: Latest from Afghanistan

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But he added: “We need to set it in the perspective of what we are seeking to achieve here. We want to leave Afghanistan for the Afghans in a country that is better-governed, more secure, more peaceful, and crucially no longer represents a threat to the international community. I think that is a really significant prize.”

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, expressed his sympathy for the relatives, comrades and friends of the three soldiers killed yesterday. He said the 9/11 attacks on America demonstrated how all 100 British military personnel killed in Afghanistan had given their lives securing freedom and stability for everyone.

The Conservative leader David Cameron also paid tribute to UK forces in Afghanistan. “My heart goes out to their families at this time. We owe so much to young servicemen and women who risk their lives to fight on our behalf," he said. “The death toll having now reached 100 serves as a tragic reminder of how brave and courageous they are.”

But the father of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan two years ago predicted that the conflict would turn into “as big a disaster as Iraq”.

Captain Jim Philippson, 29, of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, died in a firefight with Taliban troops in Helmand Province on June 11, 2006 in which British forces were out-gunned. An inquest in February heard that his comrades had complained repeatedly about a lack of proper equipment - chiefly standard night vision kits and weaponry - before his death.

His father, Anthony Philippson, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, said yesterday’s deaths would not be the last. He added: “They have never learnt from Vietnam. The trouble with guerrillas is they never wear uniforms - they disappear into the trees then come back and fight when they want to. The whole thing is an utter waste of time.”

Chris Nineham, a spokesman for the Stop the War Coalition, described the conflict in Afghanistan as a “war without purpose” to support President Bush's foreign policy.

He said: “Afghanistan is becoming a disaster all too reminiscent of Iraq. It is quite clear that the Nato forces are bogged down, deeply unpopular, facing more and more resistance and causing mayhem rather than bringing democracy.

“We want the troops to be withdrawn because I do not think there is any possibility of progress in Afghanistan while it is occupied by foreign forces.”

Of the 100 British service personnel killed in Afghanistan since operations began in October 2001, 74 died as a result of hostile action. The remaining 26 died from illness, accidents, non-combat injuries or have not yet been formally assigned a cause of death.

The youngest victim was Private Ben Ford, 18, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and the oldest was father-of-five Senior Aircraftsman Gary Thompson, 51, from Nottingham.

The single worst loss of live came on September 2, 2006, when 12 RAF personnel, one Royal Marine and one soldier were killed when their ageing Nimrod MR2 aircraft came down 12 miles west of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

*Map - Source: Ministry of Defence Factsheet:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInAfghanistanBritishFatalities.htm

Map positions are approximate, dependent on the amount of information given by the MoD.

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