British troops may start withdrawing from Afghanistan in 2011

British troops may start withdrawing from Afghanistan in 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday, during a surprise trip to the country.

Since taking office in May, Cameron said his government had scaled back British ambitions in Afghanistan and acknowledged the dangers of waning public support. He also said British troops will quit their combat role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, The Associated Press reports.

The Prime Minister said there were "grounds for cautious optimism" that the timetable to restore security in the country is on track.

Nato has set a deadline of 2014 to complete the international mission and Mr Cameron has previously that all UK combat troops will have left the country by 2015.

But now the Prime Minister has said a pullout from next year is "possible" if Britain goes on "making the progress we are making", Sky News reports.