KABUL — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised British troops 200 new patrol vehicles that can resist roadside bombs more effectively during an unannounced visit Saturday to southern Afghanistan.
Brown made the trip to Camp Bastion in Helmand province to thank some of the 4,000 British soldiers who were involved in a 3-week-old NATO offensive to wrest control of the Taliban haven of Marjah from the insurgents.
“We will do everything we can to support you with the equipment necessary and the resources you need,” he told the troops, according to the British Press Association.
British officials will be announcing a $151 million investment in new British-built vehicles to replace Snatch Land Rovers, blamed by troops for many of the deaths caused by roadside bombs. The new vehicles, which should arrive in Afghanistan by late 2011, have better armor and more maneuverability. The Associated Press
