MoD: 1 in 5 British troops unfit for war

More than 16,000 British soldiers, or one in five army personnel, are not fit enough for battle, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) has revealed.

The MoD’s figures on Tuesday show that at least 9,037 troops are “limited deployable” and unfit for frontline combat duties, while a further 7,220 are “non deployable.”

The Ministry of Defense cited a range of factors such as physical or mental injuries, diseases, lack of fitness, and “ongoing problems” such as dental work, as the reasons behind the soldiers’ downgrade.

The MoD, however, added that most army personnel classified as medically non-deployable could still contribute.

The attrition rate, which is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003, comes as UK forces prepare to begin yet another year embroiled in a grueling struggle in Afghanistan.

Major General Patrick Cordingley, who commanded the Desert Rats in the first Persian Gulf War, told The Independent that the “remarkably high” figure was the worst he had ever heard of.

“I think if this goes on much longer in Afghanistan, and the sad figure of soldiers who are wounded in such a way that they can’t go back to frontline rises, it will undoubtedly become a problem unless you’re allowed to recruit a lot more people,” he said.

The general also warned that the rate would increase if the government did not provide enough money to train replacements.

Since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, over 246 British troops have been killed.

The long battle has left over 1,018 servicemen and women with combat wounds and 2,190 more suffering from “non-battle injuries.”