Colcheser-based Paras waiting to be deployed to Afghanistan are expected to get the "green light" very soon.

Members of 2 Para and support staff from 16 Air Assualt Brigade all returned to barracks last night after spending a "relaxing" Christmas at home with their families.

But today an Army spokesman said the soldiers were ready to go and were now just awaiting the outcome of an international conference in Buckinghamshire.

"Our CO is at a force planning conference down in South Cerne today. Here international representatives will be thrashing out the details and talking about who will go out there and how the force will be made up.

"We know which countries will be involved it is just working out the detail."

He added: "2 Para are earmarked for the job as far as the British contingent is concerned, and we are just waiting for the green light.

"We will be the visible presence on the street in Kabul, supporting the interim government with security in this part of the country."

The spokesman said the Paras were now more than ready to go.

"Everybody arrived back in barracks at 6pm last night," he said.

"They were all very happy to get Christmas at home. Everybody has had a good, relaxed Christmas, but now they are ready to go and want to get on with the job."

But the spokesman added although a United Nations mandate was in place, the international force would not get the "total green light" until the interim government in Afghanistan had signed part of the agreement with the International Assistance Security Force.

Published Friday December 28, 2001