Brit Army commander says it is difficult to beat Taliban without reinforcements
London, Aug.22 : A British Army commander deployed in war-ravaged Afghanistan has said that it is difficult to beat the Taliban without adequate reinforcements.
In an interview with The Independent ahead of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's visit to Afghanistan's Helmand Province, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said: "We are probably still on a growth trajectory before we get to the stage when the UK presence can begin to thin out."
The commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade estimated it would be up to five years before Britain could consider dropping troop numbers.
Brigadier Smith's assessment came as senior military officers are reported to have held preliminary talks on increasing British soldiers in Afghanistan from 8,000 to 12,000 - a dramatic difference from the 3,300 initially expected to hold the ground.
Brigadier Smith, who has been in charge during a tour which has cost 24 servicemen and one woman their lives, said he expected the British would at least maintain such high force levels for three to five years.
He said that there was a need for more manpower and more helicopters.
Brown met Brigadier Carleton-Smith and the Governor of Helmand, Gulab Mangal, before flying to Kabul to hold talks with President Hamid Karzai.
Brigadier Smith said that the key to British withdrawal from Helmand was a strong local army, police and government, and concluded that: "Armies have never controlled Afghanistan. There has always been a political settlement."
ANI
-
Gold Silver Rate Today, 9 March 2026: City-Wise Prices, MCX Gold and Silver Ease Slightly After Rally -
Chinese Spy Ship Liaowang-1 Spotted Near Oman: Why Its Presence Near Oman Is Concerning For US Military -
Pune Gold Rate Today: Check Gold Prices For 18K, 22K, 24K in Pune -
Bangalore Gold Silver Rate Today, March 9, 2026: Gold and Silver Prices Fall as US Dollar Strengthens -
Who Is Nishant Kumar: Education, Personal Life and Possible Political Role -
Ind Vs NZ T20 World Cup Phalodi Satta Bazar Prediction: Know Who Will Win In India vs New Zealand Final -
Vijay-NDA Alliance On Cards? Pawan Kalyan Reportedly Reaches Out to TVK Chief -
Who Was Mojtaba Khamenei’s Wife Zahra Haddad-Adel and What Do We Know About Her? -
Trisha Hits Back at Parthiban: 'Crude Words Say More About the Speaker' -
India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Final: Five Positive Signs Favouring India Before Title Clash -
IND vs NZ Final Live: When and Where to Watch India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Title Clash -
Ind vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026: New Zealand Needs 256 Runs To Beat India And Win The World Cup












Click it and Unblock the Notifications