The Paras in Afghanistan

In 2021, the British Army’s 20-year engagement in Afghanistan ended with chaotic scenes at Kabul International Airport. The Parachute Regiment had been involved since the earliest days of conflict and was there at the end to provide security for the final evacuation. The years of conflict saw the Paras endure some of the toughest operational conditions since World War Two as they confronted Taliban fighters in their Helmand stronghold. In 2008, 2 and 3 Paras were deployed to Afghanistan, fighting the Taliban in areas such as Kandahar and Musa Qala. That summer, they fought the insurgents in the fields and ditches of the Green Zone, always taking the fight to the enemy.

Written by a former Para and battlefield photographer, this book takes the reader on a visual journey from training for this deployment in Scotland to the desert heat of Afghanistan, showing the soldiers, their equipment, weapons and vehicles. With over 200 color photographs, it provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Paras both in battle and going about their day-to-day lives at the bases.