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Troops set for Afghan deployment Troops set for Afghan deployment
(about 12 hours later)
The Ministry of Defence is due to confirm that more than 1,000 Scottish troops are to be sent to Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that about 1,300 Scottish troops are to be sent to Afghanistan.
They will be attached to 16th Air Assault Brigade when it takes responsibility for Helmand province next month. It will involve soldiers from four of the Royal Regiment of Scotland's five regular infantry battalions.
Defence Secretary Des Browne's announcement is part of a rotation of British forces in Afghanistan. They will travel to Helmand province in May for a six-month deployment, attached to 16th Air Assault Brigade.
It will involve soldiers from three of the Royal Regiment of Scotland's five regular infantry battalions. The brigade will take responsibility for the province, where most of the British personnel in the country are based.
They will be deployed over the next few weeks to prepare for a spring offensive against the Taleban.They will be deployed over the next few weeks to prepare for a spring offensive against the Taleban.
The Argylls and the Royal Highland Fusiliers will each be sending more than 500 men who will be joined by more than 100 soldiers from the Highlanders. 'Trained hard'
The announcement will take the number of British forces deployed in the Helmand area to almost 8,000. The Argylls and the Royal Highland Fusiliers will each be sending more than 500 men who will be joined by about 120 soldiers from the Highlanders and 120 from the Dragoon Guards.
The deployment will replace units already in Afghanistan and does not alter the number of British troops in the country, which currently stands at nearly 8,000.
Lt Col David Richmond, commanding officer of the the Argylls, said his battalion had trained hard for the task.
He said: "We have prepared well, trained hard and been issued some excellent equipment."
Lt Col Jamie Campbell, the man in charge of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, said: "I am delighted to have one of my sub-units tasked with such an important and demanding role."