Military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan prove 'costly' for UK

London, Feb. 13 (ANI): The cost of Britain's military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has gone up to 4.5 billion pounds over the last year, the Ministry of Defense said.

Last year, the military mission in Afghanistan cost Britain 1.5 billion pounds, which has risen to 2.6 billion pounds this year.

In a bid to ensure more protection to its army personnel from advanced explosive devices and suicide bombers, Britain deployed many armoured vehicles. This was the main reason for the cost amplification.

Already, the UK has around 8,300 troops in Afghanistan. Gordon Brown is likely to authorize the deployment of more troops in the region.

However, 4,100 British troops are expected to be withdrawn from Iraq, which will begin next month. Only 400 troops will be left to provide training for Iraqi forces. Surpizingly, the move is only going cost Britain more.

Despite the coming withdrawal from Iraq, the costs of operations there rose from 1.5 pounds billion to 2 billion pounds.

Some of that cost reflects the need to increase the protection for the main British base outside Basra where UK forces are now stationed.

The UK troops are not going to take all their pricey equipments along. They will be hand it over to Iraqi and US forces because shipping it back to Britain would prove even more expensive.

The cost of operations is met by the Treasury from its reserves instead of coming from the defense ministry's overstretched central budget. (ANI)