British troops 'will not leave Helmand for five years'

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Daily Telegraph

British troops will have to fight the Taliban in Helmand for another five years, according to a leaked draft of the communiqué that will conclude the London conference on Afghanistan this week.

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Gordon Brown will host the Afghanistan summit, which begins on Thursday. It is expected to conclude that Afghan forces will only be able to take over fully from the British after several years.

The draft closing statement commits Afghan forces to “taking the lead and conducting the majority of operations in the insecure areas of Afghanistan within three years and taking responsibility for physical security within five years”.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/7068153/British-troops-will-not-leave-Helmand-for-five-years.html