HERCULES aircraft from RAF Lyneham are playing a vital role in combating insurgents in Afghanistan’s most dangerous regions.

RAF aircrews are helping to bring the long arm of the law to remote parts of Afghanistan by flying the Afghan National Police across hundreds of miles of some of the world’s most hostile terrain.

During one recent mission, personnel from the Kandahar’s 24/30 Squadron Detachment – normally based at RAF Lyneham – transported more than 200 Afghan Border Police recruits who are part of an international security assistance force from the airfield at Camp Bastion to a police training facility in the west of the country.

The detachment later took more than 100 police from Camp Bastion to Kandahar.

Group Captain Phil Beach, the commander of 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Kandahar, said: “The Hercules continues to prove an extremely effective counter insurgency platform in Afghanistan and these excercises contribute directly to ISAF’s work to increase Afghan governance.

“Looking to the future, this type of mission will become a task for the burgeoning Afghan National Army Air Corps and 904 Expeditionary Air Wing is well placed to contribute to the partnering and mentoring of this developing Afghan capability.”

The police were flown on behalf of the Afghan Regional Security Integration Command which is charged with, among other things, training, equipping and mentoring the ANP.

The RAF’s efforts have won praise from the services’ American allies.

Captain Kevin Walton, of the United States Air Force, said: “We really appreciate what the Hercules’ crews are doing for us.

“The RAF is currently the most reliable airlift in theatre for our organisation.

“Missions like these enable the Afghan security forces to take control of areas when insurgents have been driven out, enabling vital reconstruction projects to proceed.”

The police officers ranged in age from late teens to mid-30s, and were all flying for the first time.

They were accompanied by an interpreter who said: “They made the most of the experience and were transfixed by the view from the C130 aircraft’s porthole windows.

“The Afghans were exceptionally grateful to the men and women of the RAF for giving them a lift and for their help in the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.”