My 18 years fighting for Afghan people

IT was a moment that shook the world and, for Matt Lewis, a moment that changed his life for ever.

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.

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, with the country building a brighter future. “I joined in 2001-02 and was in Sandhurst watching when 9/11 happened.

“It has characterised my experience,” he says.

“Having been to Afghanistan and Iraq, the past 18 years has taught me that the endgame – a political settlement – is not straightforward. However the fact we have got here is professionally rewarding.”

Matt, from Cardiff, remains haunted by the loss of his close friend Captain Stephen Healey. He was killed in a bomb blast in May 2012.

He was the 415th member of UK forces to lose his life in the Afghan conflict.

“Steve was from Llanrumney in Cardiff and from a similar background entire to me. There has been significant sacrifice in this unit. We do not forget that, so I do have this desire to see it out.”

Toral was the codename for the British presence in Afghanistan post2014 as part of Nato’s mission and Herrick was the codename for British operations during the conflict.

Matt’s battalion, which was previously in Afghanistan two years ago, already has three Operation Herrick and two Operation Toral deployments under its belt.

For this trip it will be based in Kabul.

Matt says he had believed when he left Kabul in 2014 he would never return because life was almost back to normal. But he added: “Afghanistan is in the operational DNA of this unit.” Matt’s troops, now based in Ternhill, north Shropshire, will face a daunting fortnight of training in Caerwent, Monmouthshire, before joining The Rifles to protect Kabul as the country counts down to a presidential election on July 20.

He adds: “There will be 700 troops going, because the Americans changed their strategy and wanted to redistribute their protection in Kabul to the British.”

Matt said: “The elections will be a special challenge, as the Taliban see the process as un-Islamic.

“But for all the challenges the people face, they do come out and vote – it’s brave, it’s heroic. They all put themselves at significant risk.”