UK PM’s spokesman rejects US defence chief’s remarks on Afghanistan war

The British prime minister’s spokesman has rejected US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claims about NATO countries’ involvement in the war in Afghanistan, describing them as incorrect.

Hegseth had said that only five NATO member states played a significant role in the Afghanistan operation and that among them only one or two countries took part directly in combat missions.

But the British prime minister’s spokesman, referring to the deaths of 457 British soldiers during the war, stressed that their sacrifices should not be overlooked and their importance should not be downplayed.

The remarks were made amid ongoing debate over the role of different countries in NATO’s military operation in Afghanistan and highlight disagreements among Western allies.