At least 5000 demonstrators have marched in London to protest against the Afghanistan campaign. They want the government to withdraw UK troops and end Britain’s role in the conflict.
The anti-war supporters gathered in Hyde Park before marching to Trafalgar Square.
A British soldier who has disobeyed orders by refusing to return to the Afghan conflict, led the demonstration.
Meanwhile, Britain recently pledged to send 500 more troops, but only if NATO and the US increased their numbers as well. More than 200 British soldiers have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001.
One of the organisers of the Stop the War Coalition protest says the number of people against the war continues to rise.
“Obviously, for a lot of time people thought this was the good war. But the truth is, that a year ago we couldn’t have gotten a demonstration on Afghanistan at all because people wouldn’t oppose it. So now people are begging to campaign and we think this campaign will grow because this is a reflection of public opinion,” says Lindsey German, Protest Organiser.