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Brown visits UK troops in Helmand Brown visits UK troops in Helmand
(10 minutes later)
Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit to British troops, en route to the Olympics in Beijing.Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit to British troops, en route to the Olympics in Beijing.
The PM told troops at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, that they were "the heroes of our country".The PM told troops at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, that they were "the heroes of our country".
He told members of 16 Air Assault Brigade they were in the "front line in the fight against the Taleban".He told members of 16 Air Assault Brigade they were in the "front line in the fight against the Taleban".
He also paid tribute to Cpl Barry Dempsey, the latest British soldier to die, before heading to Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.He also paid tribute to Cpl Barry Dempsey, the latest British soldier to die, before heading to Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
His visit comes as three Nato troops have died in Ghazni province. This week 10 French soldiers died in a Taleban attack. Mr Brown spent 90 minutes at Camp Bastion and visited a field hospital where he spoke to six injured soldiers.
Courage praisedCourage praised
His visit comes as three Nato troops have died in Ghazni province. This week 10 French soldiers died in a Taleban attack.
Speaking to troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, Mr Brown said: "You know that you are on the front line in the fight against the Taleban.Speaking to troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, Mr Brown said: "You know that you are on the front line in the fight against the Taleban.
You are truly the heroes of our country Gordon Brown to British troops
"You know that by what you are doing here you prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain.""You know that by what you are doing here you prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain."
He said their work was part of creating a democratic and "terrorist-free" Afghanistan and he was proud of British troops' "courage, professionalism and dedication".He said their work was part of creating a democratic and "terrorist-free" Afghanistan and he was proud of British troops' "courage, professionalism and dedication".
"You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year," he added."You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year," he added.
"You are truly the heroes of our country.""You are truly the heroes of our country."
Earlier Mr Brown told journalists a summer offensive by the Taleban had been expected after a relatively quiet spring and added: "We've got to be prepared for anything that may happen".Earlier Mr Brown told journalists a summer offensive by the Taleban had been expected after a relatively quiet spring and added: "We've got to be prepared for anything that may happen".
He admitted British forces were fighting a very difficult campaign but insisted that coalition forces could cope with a change in tactics, such as more head-on confrontations and guerrilla warfare, suicide bombs and roadside explosions. He said British forces were fighting a difficult campaign but that coalition forces could cope with a change in tactics, such as more head-on confrontations and guerrilla warfare, suicide bombs and roadside explosions.
Since 2001, 116 UK troops have died in Afghanistan, the latest, Cpl Dempsey was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand on Monday.Since 2001, 116 UK troops have died in Afghanistan, the latest, Cpl Dempsey was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand on Monday.