'afghan village' in norfolk

The Daily Telegraph has published a 17-picture photo report on the somewhat bizarrre construction of an Afghan village "with a mosque, market and suicide bombers" in Thetford, Norfolk, by the Ministry of Defence at a cost of £14 mn in order to allow training of troops destined for Afghanistan. The "Afghan village" comes complete with volunteers "dressed as insurgents in traditional Taliban robes. The MOD employs Gurkhas who have done active service for the British and amputees from the charity Amputees for Action, to act as villagers, insurgents and injured soldiers. Islamic calls to prayer ring out from the mosque and the dusty streets are strewn with motorbikes, tyres and carts. The smell of food cooked by the villagers wafts through the streets and synthetic aromas, such as rotten meat, are pumped out." The meat and vegetables in the "market" are made of plastic.

Lt Col Simon Lloyd, Commander of the Defence Training Estates for the Eastern region, believes the camp gives soldiers the best possible training. Under a picture of tinned aubergines, beans and green vegetables, he is quoted as saying: "The place is magnificent. I've served in the Middle East and the likeness is uncanny. We've sourced props from all over the world."