The British troops who died in Afghanistan will never be forgotten, the prime minister has said at the end of the UK's 13-year military campaign.
The last British base, Camp Bastion, was handed over to Afghan security forces in a ceremony on Sunday.
David Cameron tweeted: "We will always remember the courage of those who served on our behalf".
But former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has questioned whether the results "justified" the 453 UK deaths.
The union flag was lowered at the ceremony at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province on Sunday morning, while Camp Leatherneck - the adjoining US base - was also handed over to Afghan control.
"13 years of war haven't ended in victory for either side" the BBC's John Simpson concludes
The UK forces were part of a US-led coalition which toppled the ruling Taliban in 2001, following the 9/11 attacks and Bastion has been their main Afghan base since 2006. .
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Houghton, said the UK's armed forces have "played a hugely significant role in delivering a security legacy for the people of Afghanistan".
The UK's most senior officer in Helmand, Brigadier Rob Thomson, said Sunday's ceremony marked the "final step in a deliberate, responsible and measured handover" to the Afghans.
He told the BBC: "There is regret over every single serviceman who has lost their life in this country and all those who have been wounded and we hold them in our hearts to the very end of our days.
"But what I can tell every single member of the armed forces who served here and every single family who have sent their loved ones here is that we have made a difference."
The prime minister's most recent visit to troops at Camp Bastion took place at the start of the month Writing in the Daily Mirror Lord Prescott, who was in the cabinet that sent British troops to Afghanistan in 2001 said he "gratefully welcomed" the return home of service personnel.
"I respect the thousands of gallant men and women who went to Afghanistan and Iraq to save lives and restore peace. But they teach us that being the world's policeman carries a heavy price and does not justify the heavy loss of lives," he said.
On Sunday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "Mistakes were made militarily, mistakes were made by the politicians at the time and this goes back 10, 13 years.
"Clearly the numbers weren't there at the beginning, the equipment wasn't quite good enough at the beginning and we've learnt an awful lot from the campaign. But don't let's ignore what has been achieved."
Continue reading the main story 140,000
UK troops served in Afghanistan
£19bn
Total operational cost
-
453 UK troops killed
-
108 died in 2009 - the worst year
-
500 mentors to stay after 2014
140,000
UK troops served in Afghanistan
£19bn
Total operational cost
453 UK troops killed
108 died in 2009 - the worst year
500 mentors to stay after 2014
Rear Adm Chris Parry, who helped plan the role of UK troops in Afghanistan, told the BBC that Britain's involvement had been "worth it", saying the country was now "more stable", was improving economically and had 40% more children going to school.
Labour party leader Ed Miliband said: "All those who served did so to help ensure Afghanistan could no longer be used as a safe haven for terrorists."
He added that Britain "must make sure that we continue to give the right support to the Afghan government both politically and through humanitarian aid, so that security and stability in Afghanistan can be maintained in the years to come".
A Royal Artillery gun crew fire over the perimeter of Camp Bastion on 25 October 2014 on their last mission to deter Taliban militants around the base 
The union flag was lowered at the ceremony on Sunday morning Afghan sacrifice 'never forgotten'
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