One of the first groups of UK-based British troops to be sent to war-torn Afghanistan flew out from an Oxfordshire airbase on Sunday.
Twenty soldiers from the Pioneer Regiment, based at Bicester, left RAF Brize Norton on a VC10 at around 4pm.
Also aboard the flight were 67 members of Colchester-based 2 Bn The Parachute Regiment, which included 43 Gurkhas.
An army spokesman said the troops were likely to conduct a 90-day tour of duty with the aim of helping the local civilian population.
She said: "Members of the Pioneer Platoon will be involved in digging work, and setting up the basic infrastructure."
She said more British troops were expected to be deployed later this week.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article