Living through 13 years of war in Afghanistan

On Sunday, after 13 years of war, over 500 deaths and over £20 billion (Rs 197,860 crore), United Kingdom withdrew from Afghanistan.  

In a touching ceremony, the Union Jack flag was lowered at Camp Bastion, which has been the center of UK operations in Afghanistan since 2006.

British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed that Britain will ‘never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice’ and Labour leader Ed Miliband said the handover was a “time to remember those who have served Britain so courageously in Afghanistan over the last decade”. 

Soldiers board a helicopter during Operation Omid Haft in Afghanistan to clear out insurgents from one of their last remaining strongholds.

Troops in Afghanistan also enjoyed some moments of peace. One of them was this touching moment of an Afghan young boy using a soldier's camera to take a picture.

A soldier operates the remote controlled Mark 8 Wheel Barrow Counter IED Robot. The Mark 8 Wheel Barrow is used for remote clearance of IEDs and it is remotely driven.

Amid war and battle, a soldier takes time out and rests following intense fighting at Camp Bastion. 

And if it wasn’t resting, then soldiers played cards under the night sky to spend their time at the camps. 

The soldiers also participated in several compound clearance exercises. In this one, soldiers from 1 Lancs take part in compound clearance training prior to Op Tor Shehzada. 

Soldiers rush vital supplies to the forward operating bases during violence. 

Soldiers from 1 Royal Irish Regiment engage Taliban following an ambush. 

Afghan children talk to a soldier from 23 Pioneer Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, during a patrol near Lashkar Gah, Helmand, Afghanistan.

British troops also took the time out to mentor Afghan police and taught them how to administer first aid. 

Royal Marines of Bravo company are pictured in a Jackal Armoured Vehicle crossing a dusty Afghan sunset, as their tour in the country comes to an end.

Soldiers of the Afghan National Army fire a mortar during a training course at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. British troops taught the Afghan National Army new heavy weapon skills to improve their fighting capability.

Photographs: MOD/Flickr

READ: End of a long war: Britain withdraws from Afghanistan