Mr Hammond paid tribute to the 383 UK troops who have died since the conflict began.

BBC: Philip Hammond: Afghanistan progress not 'irreversible'

Before making his statement in Parliament, Brown paid tribute to the 37 British troops who had been killed in Afghanistan during the lawmakers' summer vacation, naming each individually.

CNN: Britain to send more troops to Afghanistan

Opposition leader David Cameron paid tribute to the "extraordinary job" being done by British troops and re-iterated his party's support for the UK's presence in Afghanistan.

BBC: Afghanistan statement

He paid special tribute to troops who have been scarred in one way or another while serving their nations, stressing the importance of giving them supporting well after they leave the battlefield.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS