Soldiers to serve longer in Afghan war zone

Forces deploying to this October will serve an eight-month tour of duty, rather than six months, as was previously the norm.

As the Army prepares to withdraw the bulk of its deployment by the end of 2014, some troops sent to Afghanistan next year will stay as long as nine months, Mr Hammond told the Commons.

Mr Hammond said that between 2,200 and 3,700 UK military personnel were expected to serve for more than six and a half months in Afghanistan on the mission codenamed Operation Herrick as a result of the announcement.

Those serving more than seven and a half months – and enduring the “relatively more austere conditions” expected towards the end of the campaign as bases close and assets are removed – will receive a “Herrick drawdown allowance” worth £50 a day before tax on top of standard operational allowances, he said.

Because of the gradually declining overall size of the UK deployment over the next 20 months, the majority of troops are still expected to serve no more than six months, with “significant numbers” staying for shorter periods

Prime Minister David Cameron has already said that the size of the UK force in Afghanistan will be reduced from its peak of 9,500 to 5,200 by the end of this year.

Mr Hammond told MPs that numbers would be at about 7,900 by the end of this month and that Afghan national security forces will be leading all security operations by the summer.

“After more than a decade the UK’s military role in Afghanistan is evolving from combat to one of training, advising and assisting the Afghans,” said Mr Hammond.

“We have looked at how we can best deploy what will be declining numbers of troops to deliver the best possible protection to our people while continuing to provide the Afghans with support.”

He said the extended tour times would match with key milestones in the transition, help with continuity in dealings with Afghan forces and remove the need to train another brigade to cover the final couple of months of 2014.