§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK forces are(a) deployed in Sierra Leone and (b) about to be deployed; from which parts of the armed forces they have come; and what their mission and rules of engagement are. [135921]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 31 October 2000]The total number of troops deployed on the ground in Sierra Leone will vary, depending on the training under way, but it will be somewhat over 400, compared with the 300 prior to the announcement on 10 October 2000.
The personnel are drawn from all three services and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.
The UK forces in Sierra Leone are employed in a training and advisory capacity, not to participate directly in combat operations. They are, however, issued with robust rules of engagement to allow them to defend themselves if necessary.