British Prime Minister David Cameron on Sunday said coalition forces were making steady progress in improving security in Afghanistan and were on track to leave the country by 2015. "I do think we've made progress," Cameron told CNN, adding that ensuring that Afghan forces could take over responsibility for the country's security was the ultimate key to allowing US, British and Nato forces to withdraw.
Britain has about 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, making it the second-largest contributor after the United States to the Nato-led coalition. Based in the central province of Helmand, which Cameron called the "toughest part of the country by a very, very long way," they are battling Taliban insurgents and training local security forces.
"The ticket for President (Barack) Obama and for me to bring our troops home is the training of the Afghan army and the police, which is going well," Cameron told CNN.
"We need to keep that progress growing, and we need a strong government in Afghanistan to help deliver that change," he said. "I believe those things can be done, and we will be able to meet our deadline of not having combat troops or troops in large number by 2015."
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