Taliban 'losing' Afghan battle

Wednesday, 12 December 2007 12:00 AM

Coalition forces are "winning the battle" against the Taliban in Afghanistan, Gordon Brown has told MPs.

Delivering a progress update for the central Asian country, the prime minister told the Commons British forces had "taken the initiative" and were "isolating and eliminating" the insurgency's leadership.

He congratulated UK forces for their successful assault on the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala in the last week, hailing the victory as a "psychological blow" giving British soldiers "reason to celebrate this Christmas".

British forces are not negotiating with the Taliban, Mr Brown emphasised. He indicated a preference for reconciliation through the Afghan government as the best means for former militants to return to the political process.

Conservative leader David Cameron attacked the prime minister's non-negotiation stance for "completely conflicting" with Downing Street-briefed newspaper reports claiming the opposite.

He compared the victors of Musa Qala to those who had fought in the second world war, Korean war and the Falklands conflict, before stressing that success will ultimately come down to the "ordinary Afghan - whether she or he feels better off".

Mr Brown said reconstruction efforts were going well and that Britain was looking to transfer more and more powers to Afghan leadership.

Additional aid is expected to be channelled through the Kabul government while specific programmes will improve "basic legal and regulatory frameworks" and provide business development loans.

He said targeting poppy production in the company remained a problem, admitting progress could not be made without tackling the issue.

"Afghanistan cannot hope for stability while the poisonous narcotics trade continues to flourish," the prime minister said.

He finished: "We will help ensure reconstruction and development so that more Afghan people have an economic stake in the future."

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• armed forces
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• asia
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• defence
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• foreign policy