Some of the most fierce fighting since the invasion of Afghanistan has been in the south-western province of Helmand, where the Taliban have taken the battle to British forces.
At the end of last year, British officers described the clashes as some of the most intense since the Korean war in the 1950s, with British troops having to repel massed assaults from Taliban forces.
It was not quite what the then defence secretary John Reid had in mind when he sent some 3,300 British troops into Helmand in April 2006. At the time he said: "We would be perfectly happy to leave (Afghanistan) in three years and without firing one shot because our job is to protect the reconstruction."
Heavy fighting has continued this year, although not on the same scale as at the end of 2006. But there have been casualties. Today the Ministry of Defence confirmed the deaths of three soldiers from friendly fire. American F15 warplanes dropped a bomb on them during a clash between British forces and Taliban fighters.
That was in addition to the deaths earlier this month of seven soldiers in the province, where the British 16th Air Assault Brigade provides the local backbone of the Nato international security assistance force (Isaf). So far, 73 British troops have died in Afghanistan since the UK started operations in November 2001.
Despite the heavy fighting in Helmand, British officials and commanders are remarkably confident about Afghanistan. A British diplomat based in Kabul told Guardian Unlimited recently that the military battle had been won.
In an interview with the Guardian last week, Des Browne, the defence secretary, said British forces could be at a "turning point" in bringing stability to Afghanistan, although he suggested there would be a substantial UK military presence in the country for many years.
Mr Browne told the Guardian he was "genuinely surprised" at the progress British troops had made in promoting sustainable security against the Taliban.
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At the end of last year, British officers described the clashes as some of the most intense since the Korean war in the 1950s, with British troops having to repel massed assaults from Taliban forces.
It was not quite what the then defence secretary John Reid had in mind when he sent some 3,300 British troops into Helmand in April 2006. At the time he said: "We would be perfectly happy to leave (Afghanistan) in three years and without firing one shot because our job is to protect the reconstruction."
Heavy fighting has continued this year, although not on the same scale as at the end of 2006. But there have been casualties. Today the Ministry of Defence confirmed the deaths of three soldiers from friendly fire. American F15 warplanes dropped a bomb on them during a clash between British forces and Taliban fighters.
That was in addition to the deaths earlier this month of seven soldiers in the province, where the British 16th Air Assault Brigade provides the local backbone of the Nato international security assistance force (Isaf). So far, 73 British troops have died in Afghanistan since the UK started operations in November 2001.
Despite the heavy fighting in Helmand, British officials and commanders are remarkably confident about Afghanistan. A British diplomat based in Kabul told Guardian Unlimited recently that the military battle had been won.
In an interview with the Guardian last week, Des Browne, the defence secretary, said British forces could be at a "turning point" in bringing stability to Afghanistan, although he suggested there would be a substantial UK military presence in the country for many years.
Mr Browne told the Guardian he was "genuinely surprised" at the progress British troops had made in promoting sustainable security against the Taliban.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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