Updated on
Summary
Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted on Saturday that Downing Street had the right strategy in Afghanistan after British military deaths surpassed the number of dead in the Iraq war.Brown said the last few days had been extraordinarily difficult as British fatalities had risen to 184 after the announcement on Friday that eight men had been killed in a 24-hour period.But he said troops were winning the battle against Taliban insurgents in their heartlands of Helmand in southern Afghanistan.A total of 15 British soldiers have died in 10 days in southern Afghanistan as troops carry out Operation Panchai Palang, or Panthers Claw, in Helmand.The aim of the operation is to improve security ahead of next months Afghan elections. Britain has raised its troop numbers to 9,000 ahead of the vote.
