Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Updated on 05 July 2009
Another British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, taking the death toll among UK service personnel over the weekend to three.
The latest victim, from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died while taking part in one of the UK military's biggest co-ordinated air operations of modern times.
His death takes the number of UK troops killed in the country since the start of operations in October 2001 to 174. His next of kin have been informed.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) say he was killed while on foot, taking part in a "deliberate operation" near Gereshk in central Helmand, in the south of the country.
He and colleagues were engaged in Operation Panthers Claw, launched to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in and around Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "He laid down his life for his country and for the good people of Afghanistan."
The MoD had previously announced the deaths of two other British service personnel, who were killed on Saturday in a roadside blast in southern Afghanistan. Their next of kin have also been informed.
Brigadier General Eric Tremblay, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), said: "Isaf soldiers grieve once again for the loss of these two first-rate soldiers.
"On behalf of all their brothers and sisters in arms, I wish to offer my deep sympathies to the families and friends of our fallen comrades."
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
