Afghanistan, February 8, 2010: Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth warned of likely British casualties as troops prepared to take part in a major international offensive against insurgents in Afghanistan.

Taliban fighters have been given a choice to lay down their weapons or face “overwhelming force” as thousands of coalition soldiers take part in the operation, which is due to begin in the coming days.

Mr Ainsworth said casualties would be a “very real risk” during Operation Moshtarak, during which militants will be cleared from areas surrounding the town of Marja in Helmand.

He said yesterday: “Of course casualties are something we have to come to expect when we’re involved in these operations and people have had that brought home to them.”This is not a safe environment and it doesn’t matter how much kit and equipment we provide for them, we cannot entirely make these operations risk-free.”But they are well-planned, there’s good provision and we can only hope for success for our people.

“We shouldn’t deny or pretend to people that we can provide security and that casualties are not a very real risk on these kind of operations and people have to be prepared for that.”

Large numbers of British troops have been involved in operations in southern Afghanistan in preparation for the offensive as part of a process known as “shaping”.

(Agencies)