The statements of US President Donald Trump, who devalued the contribution of allies, including the UK, to the operation in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks, caused a wide resonance in the UK government and society.
A representative of the UK Prime Minister's office stated that it is "wrong for Trump to downplay the role of NATO forces, including the British" – after Trump claimed that allies were "somewhere on the second line" during the operation.
He reminded that 457 British servicemen died in Afghanistan and hundreds were seriously injured – just like the military of other allied forces.
"Their sacrifice, like that of other NATO forces, was in the interest of collective security, in response to the attack on our ally... Their service and the price paid will never be forgotten," the spokesperson noted.
Defense Minister John Healey emphasized that the British who died in Afghanistan should be remembered as heroes who died for the interests of their country.
He also stressed that the Afghan operation was the only case of invoking NATO Article 5, and US allies responded to the call.
Minister for Armed Forces Alok Sharma, a former Marine and participant in the operation in Afghanistan, called Trump's comments "a real shame."
