British forces hand over Sangin district to US in Afghanistan

Sep 20, 2010, 9:06 GMT

London - British forces in southern Afghanistan have handed over control of the volatile Sangin district to United States troops in a transfer of security responsibility agreed earlier this year.

The Ministry of Defence in London confirmed that control of the district in Helmand province had been handed over to the US Marine Corps early Monday.

British troops will redeploy to central Helmand, where they will continue to lead the fight against the insurgency and assist in building a stable and secure Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said in a statement.

The Sangin transfer was agreed in connection with the US troop surge earlier this year, and announced in July. But British spokesmen insist that the withdrawal does not amount to a 'defeat' in the face of fierce fighting against the Taliban insurgency.

Of the 337 British troops who have died in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a third have been killed in Sangin. Many were members of the elite 40 Commando Royal Marines.

Although the overall casualty figures go back to the start of the conflict in 2001, British troops were deployed in large numbers in Helmand province in 2006. They remain at a level of around 10,000.

'British forces have served in Sangin over the last four years and should be very proud of the achievements they have made in one of the most challenging areas of Afghanistan,' Fox said.

'The level of sacrifice has been high and we should never forget the many brave troops who have lost their lives in the pursuit of success in an international mission rooted firmly in our own national security in the UK,' he added.