HC Deb 26 November 2001 vol 375 c658W
19. Mr. Borrow

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are in Sierra Leone. [15093]

28. Mr. Neil Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are in Sierra Leone. [15102]

Mr. Ingram

There are approximately 400 British service personnel deployed ashore in Sierra Leone at the present time. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 1 September, we are in the process of re-configuring our forces in support of the Sierra Leone Army and the Military Reintegration Process, and this figure will reduce to 360 by 1 January 2002. We are also currently contributing 15 military observers and eight headquarters staff officers to UNAMSIL, the UN operation in Sierra Leone.