Last Australian combat troops leave Afghanistan

Sydney: Australian combat troops have completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Monday marking the end of the nation's longest war, which has left 40 Australians dead.

Abbott announced that more than 1,000 troops would be withdrawn from the restive southern province of Uruzgan before the end of the year during a surprise visit to their base at Tarin Kot in October.

The drawdown from Uruzgan was completed on Sunday and most soldiers were expected to be home for Christmas.

"This war is ending, not with victory, not with defeat, but with hope that Afghanistan is a better place and Uruzgan in particular is a better place for our presence," Abbott said.

"I firmly believe that to be the case."

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Canberra first committed troops to Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, but they have been in Uruzgan since late 2005.

"We know that they've paid a high price -- 40 dead and 261 seriously wounded -- but that sacrifice has not been in vain," Abbott said, referring to the 12-year mission.

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"Uruzgan today is a very significantly different and better place than it was a decade ago."

Some 400 Australians will remain in Afghanistan in non-combat roles mostly in Kabul and Kandahar but the bulk of the 1,550 Australians who had been serving there were now out of the country.

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"They are in the air and on their way home," Defence Minister David Johnston told reporters in Sydney.

More than 25,000 Australians have served in Afghanistan since 2001 when Australia joined close ally the United States to fight the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.