Suicides surge among UK army vets from Afghan mission [Video]

The UK's Minister for Veterans has expedited a mental health program to help former soldiers who served in Afghanistan after it recently emerged that there had been a surge in suicides among the grouping since the beginning of this year.

More than a dozen former British soldiers who fought in Afghanistan have died by suicide in the first two months of 2020, it has been reported.

The Minister for Defence People and Veterans was referring to veterans involved in Operation Herrick, which is the codename for all British operations conducted between 2002 and 2014 in Afghanistan.

By the end of 2014, 453 soldiers died during Operation Herrick. According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), there were 29 coroner-confirmed suicides and open verdict deaths of army personnel who were previously deployed to Operation Herrick as of February 2018.