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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Four soldiers die in Afghanistan | Four soldiers die in Afghanistan |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Four UK soldiers, one believed to be a woman, have been killed in Afghanistan after their vehicle was caught in an explosion, the MoD has said. | Four UK soldiers, one believed to be a woman, have been killed in Afghanistan after their vehicle was caught in an explosion, the MoD has said. |
| The explosion happened east of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province. | The explosion happened east of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the dead soldiers' "bravery, dedication and professionalism". | Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the dead soldiers' "bravery, dedication and professionalism". |
| The dead soldiers' next-of-kin have been informed. The deaths take the number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 106. | The dead soldiers' next-of-kin have been informed. The deaths take the number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 106. |
| If it is confirmed that one of the dead is a woman, she will be the first British female soldier to die in Afghanistan. It is understood she was a member of the Intelligence Corps. | |
| 'Dangerous job' | 'Dangerous job' |
| Three of the soldiers were killed in the blast and another was pronounced dead at the Camp Bastion medical base. | Three of the soldiers were killed in the blast and another was pronounced dead at the Camp Bastion medical base. |
| The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan...we are enjoying a degree of success Defence Secretary Des Browne | The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan...we are enjoying a degree of success Defence Secretary Des Browne |
| A fifth soldier wounded in the attack, which happened at 1540 local time on Tuesday, is in a stable condition. | A fifth soldier wounded in the attack, which happened at 1540 local time on Tuesday, is in a stable condition. |
| Mr Brown said: "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the four brave British soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and will be deeply mourned. | Mr Brown said: "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the four brave British soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and will be deeply mourned. |
| "They were in the most dangerous of jobs in the most difficult of circumstances. | "They were in the most dangerous of jobs in the most difficult of circumstances. |
| "I salute, not just their bravery, dedication and professionalism, but that of all our armed forces. Our troops are the best in the world and fighting for the noblest of causes." | |
| 'Taleban losing' | 'Taleban losing' |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "We've had a very difficult time over the last 10 days. We've lost nine soldiers altogether in three separate incidents." | Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "We've had a very difficult time over the last 10 days. We've lost nine soldiers altogether in three separate incidents." |
| He added: "The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan, I know it may not appear like that at the moment, but we are enjoying a degree of success." | He added: "The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan, I know it may not appear like that at the moment, but we are enjoying a degree of success." |
| The bodies of five British soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, were flown back to the UK this week. | |
| Two of them, L/Cpl James Bateman and Pte Jeff Doherty, were patrolling on foot near their base in Helmand when they came under fire on Thursday last week. | |
| Ptes Nathan Cuthbertson, David Murray and Daniel Gamble, also on foot patrol, died in a suicide bombing on 8 June. | |
| The latest deaths are the biggest single loss of British lives in Afghanistan since an RAF Nimrod crash in 2006 which killed 14 servicemen. | |
| Extra troops | |
| BBC News defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the feeling among British military leaders was that the Taleban was being outgunned and that its command-and-control was disintegrating. | BBC News defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the feeling among British military leaders was that the Taleban was being outgunned and that its command-and-control was disintegrating. |
| The problem is that this has driven the Taleban to measures such as the latest explosion which are very difficult to defend against, she said. | The problem is that this has driven the Taleban to measures such as the latest explosion which are very difficult to defend against, she said. |
| Brig Gen Carlos Branco, from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said: "Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the family and friends of the brave soldiers who were killed today. | Brig Gen Carlos Branco, from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said: "Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the family and friends of the brave soldiers who were killed today. |
| "These soldiers died and were wounded trying to help bring peace and security for the Afghan people." | "These soldiers died and were wounded trying to help bring peace and security for the Afghan people." |
| Mr Browne announced this week that British troop numbers in Afghanistan will rise by 230 to a new high of more than 8,000 by next spring. | Mr Browne announced this week that British troop numbers in Afghanistan will rise by 230 to a new high of more than 8,000 by next spring. |
| The new troops will boost protection for UK personnel, improve Afghan security training and aid reconstruction work. | |
| The former head of the Army, Gen Sir Mike Jackson, said on Tuesday that British troops must be prepared to match the "strategic endurance" of the Taleban. | |
| He welcomed the announcement of more troops for Afghanistan, and said it would be wrong to set a time frame on withdrawing forces. |