Next Thursday is Ascension Day - the day Jesus escaped from the Cave. The ever present Talibans are busy with their Spring offensive! So far 2,357 American soldiers fallen here in Afghanistan, almost all men and almost all aged 20-40 years. Hostile fire, helicopter crash, roadside blast, small arms fire - Green on Blue (Afghan soldiers turning their weapons against trainers), MIA - Missed in Action.. Some names not reported yet.. Homecoming for these identified - or unidentifiable - their coffins draped in the Stars and Stripes - the U.S Military developing all their heavy magnificence. For recipients, the silent and teary, it's "he" brought home - husband, father, son, lover, companion. A huge collective spectacle, but the grief is private, remembering his last words: "I Love you".

The temporary wooden structures are being demobilished to reflect the size of the far smaller international security operation in Afghanistan

U.S engineers converted 40ft shipping containers into accommodation units, which are now going to be scrapped as part of the withdrawal

Haunting images of abandoned Bagram airfield reveal the huge task of dismantling the largest US base in Afghanistan as forces prepare to leave 

 A tented city at Bagram Air Base which was once home to almost 40.000 people is being demolished as part of U.S withdrawal

•   Bagram air base in Afghanistan was once home to more than 40,000 people and supported 140,000 missions a year
• In October 2001 the U.S and NATO troops began a massive expansion of the facility to support the war effort
• Now, the outer perimeter is being reduced to account for the withdrawal of coalition combat troops from the country
• Some 13,000 support troops will remain in Afghanistan to train local security forces for a further two years
• The U.S ceased combat operations in Afghanistan on January 1, although limited air support is still offered