In Photos: Last Of U.S., British Troops Leave Afghanistan's Helmand Province

By Eyder Peralta

Published October 27, 2014 at 4:52 PM CDT

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Monday morning, the last of American and British troops left Camps Leatherneck and Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province. As we've reported, this is a big deal symbolically, because Helmand saw some of the bloodiest fighting of the 13-year American-led war.

Over at Parallels, NPR's Sean Carberry takes a look at the big picture, asking, "With Marines gone, can the Afghan army hold off the Taliban?"

Here we'll leave you some images from the day:

Marines prepare to depart upon the end of operations for Marines and British combat troops in Helmand province. A fleet of planes and helicopters airlifted the last U.S. and British forces from a key base in southern Afghanistan on Monday, a day after the international coalition closed the massive facility and handed it over to the Afghan military.

Marines onboard a helicopter at Kandahar Air Field upon the end of operations for the Marines and British combat troops in Helmand.

CH-53E and Chinook helicopters with U.S. Marines take off from Camp Bastion in Helmand province, on Monday.

A U.S. Marine unloads ammunition from a rifle magazine into his helmet after arriving in Kandahar from Camps Leatherneck-Bastion on Monday.