Thank you for your concern for British Servicemen and women serving on current operations abroad. This web site aims to give you some insight so that you can pray effectively.

All information given here is in the public domain and available to the media from official sources.

It will be periodically updated to reflect changes in operational conditions.

According to available published official figures (1st November 2010) from the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA), the UK has a total of 178,220 regular trained and serving personnel in the Armed Forces. The total number of personnel serving on permenant postings abroad is approximately 24,600. The figure for the total number of operationally deployed UK servicemen and women is not available because statisics of that nature are not normally calculated. Operationally deployed personnel are counted as being on 'temporary assignment' and so strengths of overseas units exclude large numbers of additional personnel. However, in April 2008 Des Browne, the then Defence Secretary, reported that a total of 14,810 UK servicemen and women were at that time temporarily assigned to operational deployments overseas.

All UK combat equipment and troops were withdrawn completely from Iraq in 2009 and focus is now on the continuing operations in Afghanistan. In August 2009, President Hamid Karzai was returned to power and news reports at the time were sadly headlined by the increasing number of British casualties and the number of those killed rose above 200. Announcements followed that there would be an increase in troop levels and consequently, British troop numbers in Afghanistan now stand at about 9500. Major offensive operations continue against the Taliban with UK troop involvement now concerntrated in central Helmand province.

While many continue to question British involvement, the UK government remains committed to the region and the deployment of British servicemen and women into Afghanistan will be with us for some time to come. If asked, our Forces personnel will tell you that 'we are just doing our job' and approach their deployment in a professional and committed way. Although it was hoped that the total numbers of troops in operational theatres could be reduced, the truth is that more personnel are needed to train and equip local forces, provide security and aid reconstruction work and therefore troops numbers will remain significant.

Many serving Christians are among those deployed, and are involved across the whole spectrum of operations, from field medical services to ships' operations rooms. This includes chaplains who carry out an important role in providing spiritual and moral support to the troops. We would like you to join us in praying for our deployed servicemen and women who are doing their job in difficult political and diplomatic and increasingly hostile circumstances.

If you would like further information, or feel your church would benefit from a visit by someone with first hand knowledge and experience, please contact us via the Armed Forces Christian Union website, www.afcu.org.uk/contact.htm.

© AFCU. Material on this page is subject to copyright restrictions - see our copyright statement. Information on this web page relating to military operations has been derived from unclassified public sources. The content of this web site does not necessarily reflect the views of the Ministry of Defence or the British Government.