To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the anticipated profile is of British military units in Afghanistan over the next five years.
Answered on
30 November 2016
The UK continues to make a key contribution to NATO's RESOLUTE SUPPORT MISSION (RSM). This is a non-combat, train, advise and assist mission to build a secure and stable Afghanistan. The UK's current contribution to RSM is around 450 personnel.
At the NATO Warsaw Summit in July, the UK announced an uplift of 50 troops. These troops will be arriving in Afghanistan in early 2017. This increase will allow us to bolster our mentoring staff at the Afghan National Army Officers Academy, as well as to offer advisers to the Afghan Air Force and the Afghan Security Ministries. Decisions about the future laydown of RSM will be taken in conjunction with NATO Allies and Partners in 2017.