British Army Gurkhas refuse to fight alongside women recruits

Washington : Gurkha soldiers, serving the British Army, have reportedly warned army chiefs against recruiting women to fight among the ranks of the brigade. According to Daily Star, Nepalese women can already join the British Army but they cannot serve with the Gurkhas who say the presence of females in the regiment would destroy the comradeship. The opposition came to light after British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond speeded up a review into whether women should be given combat roles. Former Gurkha soldier Sukbah Gurang, from Aldershot, Hants, said that the men will not accept it, adding that a woman's place is in the home. Subkah said that a Gurkha cannot fight with women and they'll never be accepted. A total of 2,000 soldiers serve with the Brigade of Gurkhas based in the UK and Brunei at present. However, British Army head, General Sir Peter Wall, has said the army's experience in Afghanistan has highlighted the increasingly important contribution women are making to operations. He added that if female soldiers can deliver "operational effectiveness" they could be employed in infantry battalions, the report said.