The final group of soldiers from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland will return home to Scotland on Saturday.

The troops have been on a seven month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

They will arrive at Edinburgh Airport to be welcomed back by their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Cartwright, and colleagues who have already retuned home.

They will then start their journey back to their base in Fort George, near Inverness.

The Battalion was an integral part of Operation Panther's Claw, which took place throughout the summer, to prepare the country for the elections and to clear the country of the Taliban.

They took part in 21 separate operations during their time in Afghanistan.

Sadly, The Black Watch also suffered losses. Amongst them was Corporal Thomas Mason, who died six weeks after he was injured by a bomb blast. The 27-year-old Fife man was buried earlier this week.

Private Kevin Elliott, 24, of Dundee and Sergeant Stuart Millar, 40, from Inverness were killed after being targeted in a rocket propelled grenade attack while patrolling Babaji District.

Private Robert McLaren, 20, from from Kintra, by Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull was killed in Afghanistan on June 11, while Corporal Sean Binnie, 22, from Aberdeen, was killed near Musa Qaleh in Helmand Province on May 7.