LONDON (Islamweb & News Agencies) - British troops are on the ground in northern Afghanistan advising the opposition Northern Alliance, British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said Sunday.``I can certainly confirm that there are members of Britain's armed forces on the ground in northern Afghanistan,'' he told BBC radio, for the first time confirming weeks of speculation.
Hoon also appeared to back away from remarks quoted in a Sunday newspaper that he was happy for the Northern Alliance to take Kabul -- a stance that would put London at odds with Washington -- saying instead Britain wanted the Alliance to ''march toward Kabul.''
He declined to say how many British soldiers were on the ground in northern Afghanistan. A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said they were ``advising and liaising with'' the Northern Alliance.
Britain last month sent a contingent of 200 Royal Marines to a troop carrier in the Arabian Sea, and put hundreds more back home in a state of instant readiness.
There has been widespread speculation that members of the elite special forces the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service -- experts in lengthy covert operations -- have been in Afghanistan acting as target spotters for bombers.
American special forces have mounted raids in the south of the country, but were reported to have encountered stiff opposition from Taliban forces.
The United States has been bombing Afghanistan for more than a month in a bid to oust the country's Taliban rulers who are believed to be sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, who Washington holds responsible for the September 11 attacks against Washington and New York.