Brown promises aid boost on Afghanistan visit
Gordon Brown today promised new aid to rebuild the shattered economy of Afghanistan as British and Afghan troops seized a key strategic town from the Taliban.
The UK Prime Minister flew into the capital, Kabul, for talks with President Hamid Karzai as the Afghan Defence Ministry was announcing that Musa Qala in Helmand province had been “completely captured” after four days of heavy fighting.
Mr Brown immediately promised to follow up the victory with new reconstruction projects in the area in an attempt to secure the loyalties of the local population and ensure that it does not fall back into the hands of the Taliban.
“What is happening in Musa Qala is very important in the fight against the Taliban,” he told a joint news conference with President Karzai.
“When that action is completed, we will give support for the economic and social development of the area.
“There is no doubt that succeeding in Musa Qala will make a huge difference both to how people see the weakness of the Taliban in the future and the ability of the government to build, not just militarily and politically, but with social and economic progress for the people of the area.”
Earlier, Mr Brown made a flying visit to British troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, just 70 miles away from the scene of the fighting.
Addressing members of 40 Commando Royal Marines, he paid tribute to their efforts in fighting the Taliban.
“This is one of the most challenging of environments, this is one of the most difficult of tasks, this is one of the most testing of times,” he said.
“When I speak of courage, I speak of men and women here who have shown huge bravery in really difficult circumstances.
“I know this weekend in Musa Qala some of you here have been doing a very important job in clearing the Taliban from that area.
“I know that the work you are doing today and in the next few days is important for the whole future in Afghanistan.
“If we can succeed there it will mean we can move forward events in Afghanistan in favour of a more peaceful future for this country.”
The capture of Musa Qala, in the centre of the opium poppy belt, will be seen as hugely important for the international coalition in Afghanistan.
British troops pulled out of the town last year after striking a highly controversial peace agreement which gave responsibility for security to the Afghan elders.
Four months later, in February, it was overrun by the Taliban and has since become a major hub of the heroin trade which helps finance the insurgency.
The Nato International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) confirmed that international and Afghan forces had entered the outskirts of the main part of Musa Qala.
“Currently, Afghan and Isaf forces are consolidating their positions. Further activities will be dictated by the security situation on the ground but progress will be deliberate, appropriate and measured,” it said in a statement.
“The two principles guiding us are the safety of the local civilian population and the security of our own troops in respect to improvised explosive devices and mines.”
The test now for the international forces and the Afghan Army, which they trained, will be whether they can continue to hold it.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said their fighters had simply made a tactical withdrawal.
“Because of the massive bombings this morning, the Taliban didn’t want to cause more casualties, so this afternoon all the Taliban left Musa Qala.”
In Kabul, Mr Brown – who is due to make a major Commons statement on Afghanistan tomorrow – emphasised the importance of the reconstruction effort alongside the continuing military operations.
He promised the UK would continue to deliver support for the building of schools, the development of healthcare facilities and the creation of small businesses, as part of the wider economic and social development of the country.
He told President Karzai: “Our support will continue over these next few years to make it possible not only for the security of the Afghan people but also the economic and social development of your country so that people can have a stake in the future.”
The Afghan president said the country would need continuing international support to maintain security while it built up its own capabilities.
“At the same time, we would like to have the international community continue to add to the building of the Afghan forces, to continue to add to the Afghanisation of this whole exercise,” he said.
Mr Brown, who visited British troops in Iraq yesterday, was set to return to London following his talks with Mr Karzai.
