By Cpl Alisha Carr
AUSTRALIAN Special Forces will be home from Afghanistan before Christmas according to by Prime Minister John Howard.

SASR troops have been on the ground in Afghanistan continuously since November 27 last year – there have been three rotations of the Special Forces Task Group.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said Australian soldiers have made a vital contribution to destroying terrorist networks in Afghanistan and to providing a secure future as the nation rebuilds.

“They have demonstrated courage and commitment in the highest tradition of the ADF,” he said.

“Their skills and professionalism in difficult circumstances has been acclaimed by our coalition partners and made all Australians proud.

“In particular, soldiers demonstrated their ingenuity and tenacity during Operation Anaconda in March, where they battled harsh conditions to guide multiple air strikes to prevent al Qa’eda fighters over-running survivors of a US helicopter crash.”

He said their actions were critical to the survival of the US soldiers.

“The Special Forces’ work has not been without sacrifice. Sadly, Sgt Andrew Russell was killed in action in February as a result of a land mine explosion, while another was seriously injured in a separate land mine incident.”

He said the families and friends of deployed troops have had to cope with the strain of the operations.

“As the focus of operations has moved towards supporting the reconstruction of Afghanistan, the particular skills of our Special Forces are in less demand.

“Most of the troops should be home before Christmas to celebrate the holiday season with their families.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the soldiers for their valuable work and their family and friends for their invaluable support.”

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