More British troops ordered into Helmand badlands to rout Taliban

London, July 8 (ANI): More than 300 British combat troops are being ordered into the Helmand badlands to smash Taliban hideouts.

"They will launch a series of strikes on enemy strongholds to build on newly gained ground in the Marjah and Nad-e-Ali battle zones," The Sun quoted Defence Secretary Liam Fox, as saying.

"The extra infantry from the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will push British numbers in the war over the 10,000 mark for the first time," he added.

Fox also announced 189 million pounds of new equipment for them including video surveillance, weapons and vehicle protection.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron has praised thousands of British heroes who held the line in the opium-swamped area for four years.

"Our brave troops in Sangin have done a truly outstanding job under the most difficult, dangerous conditions, we will never forget the 99 members of our Armed Forces who served and died there to help keep us safe here," he said.

Under the new Nato plan to swamp Helmand with men, the 1,000 Royal Marines holding Sangin will be relieved by some of the 18,000 extra US Marines surging into the province by October.

The paper also stated that military chiefs have confirmed extra 1,400 British troops to be sent to provincial capital Lashkar Gah to give the Taliban an autumn of discontent.

From September, they will be led by the elite 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. (ANI)