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British soldiers patrol in Afghanistan - Source: Reuters -
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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged to stay the course
in Afghanistan as the British military death toll there this year
reached 100.
A British soldier was shot dead in Helmand province, southern
Afghanistan, on Monday, raising the total to 100 since January, the
government said.
British troops have been involved in a US-led assault on a Taliban
stronghold in Helmand in the last few days.
In a statement, Brown said honouring the memory of soldiers who
died in Afghanistan meant staying the course, doing what is right
for Britain, and seeing this mission through.
"Our military presence in Afghanistan means that al Qaeda cannot
use the country as a base from which to plot terrorist attacks
against Britain," he said.
This year has seen the fiercest fighting of the eight-year Afghan
conflict and the rising military death toll has undermined public
support for the mission in Britain and other countries.
More than 300 US troops have been killed this year.
The United States and NATO allies are sending tens of thousands of
new troops to Afghanistan to try to turn the tide in the battle
against Taliban insurgents.
Britain is sending another 500 troops, raising its force to
around 10,000, including special forces.
Brown, who faces an uphill struggle to win an election due by next
June, has been accused of failing to give British troops adequate
equipment and failing to set out a clear justification for their
mission in Afghanistan.
