A PLATOON of 30 Yorkshire soldiers will be part of the next deployment of British forces to Afghanistan, the Government has announced.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said elements of 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment would be sent to the Helmand war zone in the south.
The Territorial Army troops will form part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is expected to have to quell a Taleban spring offensive.
The brigade – which also includes the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of The Parachute Regiment – will take over from 52 Infantry Brigade in April in the latest six-monthly rotation.
Mr Browne said the bulk of the units involved were direct replacements for previous deployments.
This latest deployment will be replaced in October by 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines.
The Yorkshire platoon will join 16 Air Assault Brigade after April and stay in Afghanistan for some of 3 Commando Brigade’s deployment.
Around 300 to 400 troops from the 2nd Battalion of The Yorkshire Regiment have spent the last six months fighting the Taleban in Helmand.
