Handing Over Control to Afghan Forces
COSTELLO: U.S. and U.K. flags lowered for the last time at a key base in Afghanistan's Helmand province.</s>COSTELLO (voice-over): Handing control over to the Afghan security forces. The ceremony also marks the end to 13 years of U.K. military operations in the war-torn country. U.S. forces are winding down, but will remain in Afghanistan. In total, 2, 349 U.S. troops have died to date. 453 U.K. troops died fighting in Afghanistan. CNN's Barbara Starr joins us live from the Pentagon with more.</s>COSTELLO (on camera): So, tell us more about what this means.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: You know, this is a real marker for both American and British troops in this 13-year war in Afghanistan. I've been to these bases in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. They were massive.</s>STARR (voice-over): You know, thousands of troops, airfields running around the clock, troops going out on patrol, Camp Leathernec for the U.S. Marines, Camp Bastion for British forces and, of course, Britain's own Prince Harry served his second tour of duty in Afghanistan at Camp Bastion. This is a real marker in the wind down of the operations in Afghanistan. The British, now fully out of combat missions. The U.S. drawing down to about 10,000 troops or so in the coming years and the plan, at least, is to be fully out by 2016. But look, Carol, when we see what's going on in Iraq with the withdrawal of coalition troops there, raising a lot of questions about Afghanistan.</s>STARR (on camera): Will the Afghan forces fare better in maintaining security in that country? Will they be able to hold on to the gains? The Taliban still a very strong presence in so many areas of that country. Carol?</s>COSTELLO: Barbara Starr, reporting live from Pentagon. Thanks so much. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.