Afghan troops trained by British soldiers will take part in a major offensive against insurgents in central Helmand as an "equal partner", a UK officer has said.

Soldiers in Afghanistan's National Army (ANA), who will join Operation Moshtarak against the Taliban in the coming days, have all completed courses at the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC), according to the Ministry of Defence.

Described as the country's "soldier factory", more than 5,200 soldiers and officers pass out from the centre every month.

Afghan National Army soldiers undergo intensive training, with a team of 64 British Army officers and soldiers responsible for all the leadership courses. The training of junior ANA soldiers is run by US military teams.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Ilic, the UK leadership training team's commanding officer, said: "We are very much part of a long-term mission in Afghanistan, and can measure our success by the thousands of officers, NCOs and soldiers trained here. We are one of the best-kept secrets in Afghanistan."

Of the role of the Afghan troops in operations, Lt Col Ilic said: "They are an equal partner, they fight alongside our soldiers.

"We've got our own embedded training teams and operational mentor liaison teams with them, but they are taking the fight to the enemy.

"They are very keen. They want this war to end as much as we do. They've had enough fighting, they've been fighting for over 30 years and all they want now are their lives back."

Literacy lessons are included in the training programme together with infantry skills, drills, weapon handling, ambush techniques and counter insurgency training.

It is part of the ISAF coalition's effort to hand Afghanistan's security back to its people and involves teaching by Afghan instructors who are mentored by the British Army, according to the MoD.