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Jeremy Ball : Our man in Afghanistan

Soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment - which recruits in the East Midlands - have spent four months restoring order to some of the poorest, most lawless districts of the capital, Kabul.

Soldiers keep watch over the city from the Kabul Gates observation post

The city has been virtually destroyed by almost two decades of war. Most local people own guns and the area was plagued by violent crime.

Their commander, Lt. Col. Phil Jones, told us: "There were lots of policemen deeply embedded in armed criminal gangs and lots of corruption. They were part of the problem and we worked hard to turn that round."

"We made them patrol with us. We forced them to accept responsibilities. We worked very closely with them so that we could scrutinise them and stop them doing badness. One of our greatest achievements is stamping out armed crime".

For 20 year old Private Neil Jackson, arriving in Kabul was a shock: "Within twenty minutes of landing my platoon was on duties."

"The hardest things were getting used to the smells and the heat. We were always getting lost in the maze of streets."

Within weeks, Neil and his comrades were involved in a gun battle: "It was bandits firing at us and the rounds were flying over our heads. You're being shot at. The lads just fired back. It wasn't scary, it was more of a shock!".

Life for the people of Kabul
The devastation in Kabul is hard to take in. Parts of the city have been flattened by the fighting. But people still live in the bombed out remains of buildings which look like Roman ruins. We came across a four-story building with no outside walls, which was still being used as a makeshift school.

"Take my photo" : The people of Kabul

Everywhere the British soldiers go, children wave and greet them with the only English they know - the phrase: "How are you?".

They know the Royal Anglians have come to help them. The regiment has worked hard to rebuild local communities.

One school, which was destroyed in the war, is about to reopen after the soldiers organised a rebuilding project. And a local orphanage has a new adventure playground which was built by the soldiers.

One makeshift school in a bombed-out four storey building

Local children come to shake hands with the patrolling British peacekeeping troops.

"Home sweet home". Families still live in the bombed-out remains of one of Kabul's wealthiest suburbs.

Back to basics. The British peace-keepers have to collect their washing water from these tanks. The Chilwell engineers will improve these facilities.

Soldiers keep watch over the city from the Kabul Gates observation post.

This orphanage has been taken to heart by the British soldiers. They've built the children an adventure playground.

Many women still wear the traditional burkha.

Local people all ask us the same question - "How are you?"

The bombed out remains of the King of Afghanistan's palace.

British soldiers watch the World Cup between patrols.

A former Taliban HQ which has been taken over by the British Army.

The football stadium which used to be used for public executions.