[xtypo_dropcap]B[/xtypo_dropcap]ritish army marines hand over Sangin to US forces today, September 20.
Since 2006, when British forces arrived in Sangin, 106 UK personnel have been killed. This is almost a third of the 337 UK troops killed in the Afghan campaign which began in 2001.
40 Commando Royal Marines are the last British group to leave Sangin.
Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Paul James told the BBC that he acknowleged “the immense sacrifice that has been made.”
“Clearly the loss of any single marine or soldier is an immense tragedy,” he said but he felt that “governance and development has been allowed to take hold.”
Lieutenant Colonel Clay Tipton from the US 3rd Battalion 7th Marines said his troops would continue with the success which the British forces had achieved and would work with the local Afghan army and police.
On the day of the changeover a Taliban attack injured 10 civilians and soldiers. Although none were British, it shows the measures of success are still fragile.
British troops will redeploy to central Helmand.
