text: The British Army fired 46 million bullets at the Taliban during the eight-year Afghanistan conflict at a cost of £200 million in ammunition alone. The large amount of ammunition expended during the conflict shows the intense nature of the fighting between British troops and their Taliban opponents. According to data released by the Ministry of Defence, some 27 million 5.56 rounds were fired from either the standard SA-80 assault rifle or minimi machine gun. The British Army fired approximately 10,000 rounds from their SA-80 assault rifles during Afghan conflict . Each of the 5.56mm rounds, pictured, used in the SA-80 assault rifle costs approximately 50p . Each round cost approximately 50p. A further two million 9mm rounds were fired from handguns. According to a Freedom of Information request by the Daily Mirror, at least 80,000, 105mm artillery shells - at a cost of £1,250 each - were fired at Taliban positions. Soldiers went through an estimated £5,000 worth of ammunition for the their assault rifles every day during the eight-year conflict. A further 55,000, 30mm rounds were fired from Apache gunships. Each of these rounds costs about £65, but are able to go through solid concrete and can destroy a Taliban vehicle in seconds. The helicopters are able to provide vital close air support for ground troops pinned down by the opposition. SAS veteran Robert Henry Craft told the Mirror: 'The amount of ammo expended shows how British troops in Afghanistan were fighting for their lives every day. 'That so many 9mm rounds were used shows how close the fighting was at times'. The conflict claimed 453 UK lives. One former SAS solider, not pictured, said British troops were fighting for their lives on a daily basis .
target: Some 27 million rounds were fired from the Army's SA-80 assault rifles .
  New figures show that seven rounds were fired every minute at the Taliban .
  A further 80,000 105mm artillery shells were used during the eight-year war .
  Apache gunships also blasted  55,000 30mm rounds at the insurgents .