Hundreds of British soldiers to deploy to Libya 'within months' to train army in their battle with Al Qaeda extremists

UK soldiers would be sent ‘within months’ to help train the Libyan army

There are fears that Libya is becoming a safe haven for Islamist fanatics

Critics have raised concerns that Britain could suffer ‘mission creep’ and be sucked into another bloody war

Hundreds of British troops are being prepared to deploy to North Africa to tackle al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Under secret plans being drawn up urgently by top brass, UK soldiers would be sent ‘within months’ to the region to help train the Libyan army.

Political and military chiefs have acted amid mounting fears that Libya is rapidly becoming a safe haven for Islamist fanatics after Coloner Gadaffi was toppled in October 2011.

Under secret plans being drawn up urgently by top brass, UK soldiers would be sent 'within months' to the region to help train the Libyan army

But critics have raised concerns that Britain could suffer ‘mission creep’ and be sucked into another bloody war just as fighting in Afghanistan - which has cost 444 UK lives - is drawing to a close.

Military officers warned the proposed deployment would risk ‘overstretch’ as it takes place when the MoD is axing nearly 5,000 soldiers this year, controversially reducing the size of the Army from 102,000 to 82,000.

One officer, who has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said: ‘The war in Afghanistan has not yet ended and already the government has committed the Army to another foreign operation.

‘Libya is a highly unstable country which is awash with weapons and has been infiltrated by al-Qaeda.

‘Thousands of British soldiers have just been made redundant and morale is at an all time low and there is a real possibility of mission creep in Libya - the timing of this operation could not have been worse.’

There are mounting fears that Libya is rapidly becoming a safe haven for Islamist fanatics after Coloner Gadaffi was toppled in October 2011

Britain has already sent some 50 troops to West Africa to train the Malian Army which is battling an Islamist insurgency.

Defence chiefs have ordered 4 Infantry Brigade, based in Catterick, North Yorkshire, to begin preparing for the Libyan mission.

Prime Minister David Cameron is deeply concerned that Libyan could quickly become a failed state and a haven for al-Qaeda sympathisers.

More than 2,000 Libyan infantrymen would be given lessons in basic soldiering skills to prevent militants securing a foothold in the war-ravaged country.

A senior defence source said: ‘It is yet to be confirmed where the training will takes place.

‘It is a possibility that this could happen in Libya although the security situation could prevent this.

‘The training could take place in a third country or it could take place in the Uk but that would create significant problems.’

Britain will form part of an international task force whose aim will be to help bring stability to the country.

UK troops will help train the Army on how to secure its huge borders and prevent the flow of illegal arms shipments to terrorist groups around the world.

Up to 3,000 surface-to-air missiles have gone missing in Libya since the conflict - and spy chiefs say the state has become the ‘Tesco’ of the world’s illegal arms trade.

More than one million tonnes of weapons belonging to Colonel Gaddafi were looted from arms dumps after the dictator was toppled in October 2011.

MI6 agents fear large numbers of weapons have been smuggled out of Libya to groups linked to Al Qaeda.

Prime Minister David Cameron, pictured at Camp Bastion, is deeply concerned that Libyan could quickly become a failed state and a haven for al-Qaeda sympathisers

The Libyan government remains in a precarious position, with large parts of the army dominated by local militias.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘We need to help Libya secure its future. ‘As the Prime Minister said at the G8 conference, some countries have already offered to train more than 7,000 troops to help the Libyan government improve the stability of the country.

‘As part of this, the UK has offered to train up to 2,000 Libyan Armed Forces personnel in basic infantry skills.