Massive turbine for Afghan hydroelectric dam project takes 100 vehicles five days to carry over dangerous route

British troops have successfully transported a huge hydroelectric power turbine through Taliban territory in southern Afghanistan.

The operation was part of a development project to increase the output of the Kajaki dam in southern Afghanistan, producing electricity for an extra 1.9 million people.

A convoy of 100 vehicles took five days to move huge sections of the £3.4m turbine 180km to the construction site, protected by 1,000 Afghan soldiers through one of the most dangerous parts of the journey.

A spokesman told the BBC it was the largest route clearance operation the UK military has carried out since the Second World War.