Tony Blair wasn't greeted by a red carpet, but by 650 British troops from Camp Bastion who have been engaged in bitter conflict with Taleban militants in the country's southern desert suffering 36 fatalities this year alone.

The security for the mission was intense, but the risks deemed manageable.

The Prime Minister flew from across the border with Pakistan in a stripped down military Hercules transport plane. Mr Blair was strapped in at the front with his aides and armed security guards while soldiers and journalists sat in the back.

The plane descended sharply to avoid enemy fire, but even so the Prime Minister was told to wear a bullet-proof jacket and helmet during landing in case sniper fire penetrated the plane's wall.

But the greatest security was secrecy and space: he arrived without warning to the outside world at a camp that is surrounded by pancake-flat desert for miles around, making it simple for British troops to spot any Taleban in the area.

Camp Bastion, which houses 2,200 troops in tents and prefabricated shelters, was built from nothing in January when British soldiers moved into troubled Helmand province to oust resurgent Taleban and provide security for reconstruction work.

The desert has now been transformed into a little bit of England with DVDs and CDs for sale, bacon sandwiches and endless cups of tea.

The Prime Minister, in navy blazer, casual trousers and black suede shoes, spent an hour chatting to the troops, giving them pep talks, hearing their concerns, and inspecting their equipment from the humblest night vision goggles to Viking-armoured vehicles and Apache helicopters.

The troops have been engaged in almost daily fights with the Taleban, who have changed their strategy from full frontal assaults to guerrilla attacks.

Lieutenant-Colonel Andy Price of the Royal Marines said: "Down south we're facing a significant amount of contacts almost every day. Every time we've taken them on, we've comprehensively defeated them, so they're thinking 'how can we win this insurgency campaign?'

"There are no attacks of 200 on district centres anymore, but more sniping and a slight rise in suicide bombing."

Many of the troops have been impressed at just how hard the Taleban have been fighting, despite being totally out-gunned by the British Army's equipment and well-trained soldiers.

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