BRITISH forces in Afghanistan will number 5,700 when soldiers are sent to the Taleban’s heartland in the south for the first time.

John Reid, the Defence Secretary, announced yesterday that Britain would expand its military commitment in Afghanistan significantly by the summer, with a pledge to stay for three years.

There are 1,000 British troops in the country at present, based in Kabul and Mazar e-Sharif in the north. After Cabinet approval for the deployment yesterday, Mr Reid said that the reinforcements would include a “robust” battle group of 3,300 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade for the south.

This force is to be deployed in Helmand province, an area notorious for producing a large proportion of Afghanistan’s opium for the heroin trade and formerly the heartland of the Taleban with their al-Qaeda supporters.

For the first time the British troops will be backed up by eight Apache attack helicopters from 9 Regiment Army Air Corps. It will be the inaugural operational outing for these aircraft, 67 of which have been bought for £4 billion.

One role for the troops will be to help the Afghan Government to tackle the opium trade, which supplies 90 per cent of the heroin that ends up in Britain. Although it is not clear what action the troops will take, a renewed effort is to be made to persuade the opium farmers to adopt alternative livelihoods. Britain is to donate £20 million a year as compensation for the farmers who agree to stop growing poppies.

Underlining Britain’s renewed commitment to Afghanistan, Mr Reid said the troops would stay for three years at a cost of £1 billion.

Another 1,000 troops are to be sent to Kabul to form the headquarters for Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) which, from May 1, will be run by the alliance’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, commanded by Britain’s Lieutenant-General David Richards. Their mission will last nine months.

Brigadier Ed Butler, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, will be the commander of British forces in Afghanistan, based in Helmand province, although he will have to fit into a more complex Nato command set-up in the south, led by a Canadian officer.

Mr Reid said that four years after Britain’s Armed Forces originally deployed in Afghanistan, a resurgent Taleban was mounting increasing attacks on American, Nato and Afghan soldiers, and indiscriminate assaults and suicide bombings on civilians. He emphasised the importance of maintaining a strong presence in the country to back up the Government of President Karzai in Kabul.

The battle group in the south, to be based around the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, will form and protect a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) to help the region and spread stability. They are replacing an American PRT.

Mr Reid said the British troops would not be engaged in chasing Taleban fighters and foreign terrorists. However, he promised that the battle group would react in a robust manner if attacked.

He said that service chiefs had also made it clear that the Armed Forces could cope with running two significant operations at the same time — with 8,500 troops still in Iraq and the proposed 5,700 in Afghanistan. There was no need to draw down the forces in Iraq to cater for the expanded mission in Afghanistan.

Liam Fox, the Shadow Defence Secretary, said that there was widespread support in the Commons for the strategic objectives, but he asked whether there was any evidence that al-Qaeda was transferring operatives from Iraq to Afghanistan.

Mr Reid did not give an answer to this question but reminded Dr Fox that the British troops were not being sent to Afghanistan for a counter-terrorist mission. That remained an American preserve.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Postmen: We bind the nation together
• Tewkesbury: when the memories flood back
• Cast Offs actress: I’m happy that my face fits