Afghanistan: UK Troops Move HQ To Camp Bastion

British forces in Afghanistan are moving their headquarters from Lashkar Gah to Camp Bastion, ahead of a drawdown.

The UK's 9,000 ground personnel have been commanded from Lashkar Gar since they took the lead in Helmand Province in 2006.

The Lashkar Gah HQ - which is within the provincial capital of Helmand - was placed in the town to allow British commanders and reconstruction experts to work closely with local officials.

Now, with internal Afghan forces increasingly taking over security in Helmand from ISAF troops, it has been decided to move the base to Camp Bastion.

Camp Bastion is located next to the Afghan National Army's Camp Shorabak.

It is a massive air and army base which is home to nearly 30,000 British, American, Danish, Estonian, Afghan and Tongan personnel.

Bastion was designed to be away from population centres and in the middle of a desert area to make it more difficult to attack.

The Ministry of Defence says the move will help British and Afghan forces work closer together during the final stages of transition.

Eventually all security operations in Helmand will be taken over by Afghan forces.

The move comes after the number of bases where British troops are stationed fell from 137 three years ago, to 13.

Previously many troops were stationed in Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) which were exposed to insurgent attack.

Many of the deaths of British forces came as troops moved from base to base and patrolled the areas around them.

Forty-five out of the 444 British military deaths in Afghanistan have occurred in the Lashkar Gah area.

The area came under three major attacks from Taliban fighters in 2008.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, on a visit to British forces in Afghanistan, said: "British forces have a proud history of service in Afghanistan and much of the hard work and effort has been planned from the Task Force Helmand Headquarters at Lashkar Gah.

"The success of Afghan forces in the areas in which we operate has been driving our ability to hand over security responsibility, which has seen a significant reduction in British bases."

Brigadier Rupert Jones, the Commander of Task Force Helmand, said: "The position of the Headquarters in Lashkar Gah has been vital to the achievements of successive Task Forces based here.

"It has allowed me and my predecessors to work closely with key Afghan officials, such as the Provincial Governor, and to train and advise our Afghan security partners, including the Afghan National Police."

In December Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the number of service personnel would be cut from 9,000 to 5,200 in 2013, although he said flexibility was needed.

Mr Hammond added: "The handover of security to full Afghan control across the country is imminent and Britain's role is changing into one of assistance, advice and training."