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For more than 10 years they have fought and died in a land 3,500 miles away.

During the war in Afghanistan our troops have ­witnessed events never seen by the rest of us.

But six weeks ago they began to post their personal photos from the conflict on Twitter using the hashtag #TheAfghanistanYouNeverSee revealing the raw and often touching truth of life on the frontline.

RAF Sergeant Alex Ford, who spent six months ­helping Afghans fund and build their own reconstruction projects, said: “This is the real story of Afghanistan, the beautiful country and people who just want a better life.

"It’s not all IEDs and being injured. The most amazing thing is when kids who wash in a filthy sewer get a new well built for just a couple of hundred dollars. We see that, but you don’t.”

Antony Loveless, a fre­elance photographer who spent a year covering the conflict, said: “This is straight from the horse’s mouth, the unedited soldier’s eye view of the war and what it means.”

Since the first pictures were posted they have been retweeted by celebrity tweeters such as Stephen Fry, Al Murray, Davina McCall and Sally Bercow.

The photos, each given special security clearance by the MoD to be used by the Sunday Mirror, have gained a massive following and been retweeted 10,000 times.

Here is a selection of some of the best photos from #TheAfghanistanYouNeverSee...