British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Wednesday that Britain will reduce troop number in Afghanistan by 500 from its current force levels 9500 by the end of 2012.

In a statement to the Commons following a two-day visit to Kabul and Helmand, Cameron said "we are in Afghanistan for our own national security... Afghan security have shown real progress in the last two years."

He added that Britain will set up a new officer training academy in Afghanistan.

The number of British military deaths in operations in Afghanistan since 2001 now stands at 375.

The British military has the second largest number of troops in Afghanistan after the United States.