June 21, 2002	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1423

LONDON, June 20: The United Kingdom has decided to reduce the number of its peacekeeping forces from 1,300 to only 400 in Afghanistan.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the House of Commons on Thursday that many of the British forces presently committed to ISAF will have returned to the UK by the middle of next month.

Hoon said: “This reduction in numbers does not mean a reduction in our commitment either to Afghanistan or the campaign against international terrorism. In fact, it is proof of our willingness to keep up military action for as long as it takes.”

Earlier on Thursday, Britain formally handed over command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to Turkey.

Hoon said Al Qaeda forces had been dealt a “shattering blow” by the coalition military action. “But elements of that network remain,” he remarked.