The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has closed the Observation Post (OP) Sterga, the last remaining forward base to be used by the country’s military in Afghanistan.
With the closure of Sterga, the only UK troops remaining in Helmand are at Camp Bastion and locations in Kandahar and Kabul.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Established in August 2013, OP Sterga was set up to allow UK personnel to observe the strategically important area of central Helmand.
UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The closure of our last base outside Camp Bastion is another important step towards ending combat operations in Afghanistan.
"Their efforts have helped build a credible Afghan national security force and supported the emergence of a democratic Afghan state."
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel James Roddis said: "As the last Scottish infantry battalion in Afghanistan, it has been a challenging and rewarding job being part of the drawdown of British bases in Helmand and the handover of lead security responsibilities to the Afghan security forces.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData"Alongside our coalition partners we also oversaw and provided security for the closure of Laskhar Gah Durai and FOB Price in March earlier this year."
The base closure involved the removal of more than 100 shipping (or ISO) containers worth of equipment by air and road.
The UK presence in Helmand has now been centralised in the main operating base Camp Bastion, which is scheduled to be closed at the end of 2014.
Image: The UK MoD’s military vehicles being transported from Sterga to Camp Bastion. Photo: copyright Corporal Daniel Wiepen.
