Taliban given ultimatum by top Army chief

Afghan civilians have been warned to leave key areas with UK military spokesman Major General Gordon Messenger admitting it was likely the Taliban would put up a fight, leading to the risk of casualties among the local population and military forces.

He said there had been a "conscious decision" to reveal details of the push ahead of it beginning despite the risk of losing the element of surprise.

Maj Gen Messenger said: "The express purpose of this is to essentially give the Taliban in those areas a choice: either to put down their weapons and choose not to fight and become part of legitimate society in those areas or to fight.

"And if they choose to fight, as General Nick Carter, the general commanding the operation has said, they will be subjected to overwhelming force and will be defeated."

Large numbers of British troops have been involved in operations in southern Afghanistan in preparation for the offensive as part of a process known as "shaping".

Thousands of troops are expected to be involved in the offensive – codenamed Operation Moshtarak – and despite the highly visible nature of the preparations, Maj Gen Messenger said: "The key thing is that they retain the option of where and when to launch these attacks.

"They will have thought long and hard about how to do so whilst mitigating the risks of losing the element of surprise."

He said two key areas in central Helmand Province "needed to be cleared and subsequently secured".

Asked whether more casualties were expected, Maj Gen Messenger said: "I think it's likely that there will be a defence put up and there will be a fight.

"We can't discount that although the commanders are trying to do it in as least aggressive way as possible.

"Of course when you have a fight regrettably we cannot discount the possibility of casualties although clearly everything is done to try and mitigate the possibility."

Reports over the weekend stated that boys as young as 12 were being used by the Taliban to plant bombs designed to kill soldiers but Maj Gen Messenger said that as areas are cleared of Taliban fighters, Afghan authorities will move in and establish contact with village elders.

The surge in Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) coalition troops together with increased numbers of Afghan soldiers had allowed a "deeper effect" on winning over the population, he added said.

Confirmation of the action came as it was revealed that UK troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq will benefit from changes to the military's compensation scheme, due to be announced this week.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said in July that he was bringing forward a review of the controversial Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

This followed criticism of the Ministry of Defence for launching a court challenge that could have slashed the payment made to a soldier who was then serving on the front line in Afghanistan.

Former head of the Armed Forces Admiral Lord Boyce, who carried out the review, will announce his findings alongside Veterans Minister Kevan Jones on Wednesday.

It is understood that the changes will benefit all wounded troops covered by the AFCS, which was introduced in April 2005.

Research published this week by a Yorkshire academic showed support for Mr Ainsworth's claim the UK should involve itself more in coalitions rather than going it alone militarily.

Dr Graeme Davies, a lecturer in international security at the University of Leeds, helped compile research which show nearly three in four people find it acceptable for the UK to take part in military action as part of a UN operation compared with just 31 per cent of the population who considered unilateral action acceptable. Even fewer supported being part of a US coalition.