London, July 29 (ANI): Britain has spent over 18 billion pounds on the war in Afghanistan and significantly underestimated the cost of the campaign in Libya, figures published in a House of Commons defence committee report reveal.
The Telegraph quoted the report as saying that the five-year conflict in Helmand is officially estimated to have cost about four billion pounds a year. It also claimed that the bombing campaign in Libya is projected at 260 million pounds if it lasts six months, significantly higher than forecasts made by George Osborne, the Chancellor, in March.
When the first attacks on Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces started four months ago, the Chancellor had claimed that the cost to Britain would be "in the order of tens of millions of pounds, not hundreds of millions".
Meanwhile, the panel of MPs has accused the MoD of hiding the true cost of the war by refusing to disclose millions of unseen expenses.
According to reports, the MoD did not disclose "core costs" like wear and tear to equipment and lost training days despite providing the committee with a memorandum that showed the four billion pounds costs for the 10,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan.
The report suggested that these could amount to 400 million pounds a year.
"While it is true that personnel would be paid and equipment procured and used (largely for training purposes), even if the Armed Forces were not engaged in operations, their deployment brings with it additional costs in terms of training opportunities cancelled or deferred and equipment wear and tear that will eventually have to be met," the MPs said. (ANI)
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