Lieutenant Colonel Matt Lewis talks on his 18 years of fighting for Afghan ...

Lieutenant Colonel Matt LewisLieutenant Colonel Matt Lewis (Image: NC)

The terror attack on the Twin Towers triggered the conflict in Afghanistan in October 2001 and led Matt, then training at Sandhurst to become an Army officer, to devote much of his career to the broken country. Now a 44-year-old father-of-three and a Lieutenant Colonel, Matt Lewis will be among 700 UK troops heading to Afghanistan next month, aiming to maintain the peace in the run-up to key elections in July. It means his history of service in Afghanistan will go back 18 years. But five years on from his last deployment there, Matt says that his focus now is on the "end game". He has seen the country change from a terrorist hotspot to a "normal" place, complete with traffic jams and huge weddings.

Related articles
FURIOUS Russia accuses US of 'STRENGTHENING EXTREMISM' in Middle East
Brother of hero soldier BRUTALLY KILLED in Afghanistan to fight

But Matt, who lost a close friend in the conflict, says the sacrifice of the people and his fellow troops cannot be for nothing, saying of suggested peace talks: "I want to believe it's for a reason."

In a surprise announcement last week, the Taliban indicated they are heading to Pakistan to talk peace but the suggestion met with silence from both Pakistani officials and the US.

If a meeting does go ahead tomorrow it will be the first time insurgents have openly met Pakistani leaders since their five-year regime was overthrown in 2001 and could pave the way for the departure of both US and UK troops from the country.

President Donald Trump pledged as early as December to withdraw around 7,000 of the 14,000 troops and has also said US troops will quit Syria.

Matt, who will be returning to Afghanistan as commanding officer of the Royal Irish Regiment, says he wants British troops to act as a force for change,

read more.....

PREV Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell resigns from Jacqui Lambie Network
NEXT Cost and time blowouts are a running joke on home reno shows. Here's how to ...