SOLDIERS from Scarborough and the North of England involved in rebuilding Afghanistan’s infrastructure have been praised by an officer from the Royal Engineers.

Troops from the engineering regiment are currently attached to 2nd battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) as part of its Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams (OMLT) tour of duty.

Lt Jeff Fowler said troops from the north were very hard working and gave rebuilding work in Gereshk, in the Helmand province as a prime example.

After they left the town the bazaar had expanded threefold which had the effect of improving the area’s economy.

The rebuilding work also uses local tradesmen which provided an Afghan solution to the task in hand. Lt Fowler said: “I think it’s important because they have a sense of pride, they’ve done it themselves, and by us employing them to do it they have money for themselves.”

The building work also includes irrigation projects and the construction of schools in places such as Gereshk and Sangin. He said: “It takes time and local security has to be stabilised in the area so the patrols can go out.

“Irrigation projects are big out there and to try to build a school out there is a big thing because there hasn’t been any for a long time.”

From The Scarborough Evening News on Thursday, January 10, 2008.