Britain will begin the drawdown of its military presence in Afghanistan by May 1 in coordination with its NATO allies, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The British military presence in Afghanistan began in 2001 as part of a NATO operation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. “NATO assembled one of the largest coalitions in history to serve in Afghanistan. Our troops went into Afghanistan together, we have adjusted together, and now we are leaving together,” the trans-Atlantic military alliance said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening. The UK Ministry of Defence issued statements following the NATO announcement. “The people of Afghanistan deserve a peaceful and stable future,” UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement. “As we drawdown, the security of our people currently serving in Afghanistan remains our priority and we have been clear that attacks on Allied troops will …