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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan | UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Two British soldiers have been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says. | Two British soldiers have been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says. |
| The MoD said one soldier of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one soldier of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment were killed in an explosion on Wednesday. | The MoD said one soldier of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one soldier of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment were killed in an explosion on Wednesday. |
| The deaths bring the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 171. Next of kin have been informed. | The deaths bring the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 171. Next of kin have been informed. |
| The US army says it has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in south Afghanistan's Helmand province. | The US army says it has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in south Afghanistan's Helmand province. |
| 'Grief' | 'Grief' |
| A further six members of Nato forces were also wounded in Wednesday's attack in Helmand Province, which involved an improvised explosive device (IED). | |
| Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lt Col Nick Richardson, said there was a deep sense of loss as a result of the soldiers' deaths. | Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lt Col Nick Richardson, said there was a deep sense of loss as a result of the soldiers' deaths. |
| He said: "We grieve for them at this very sad time. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and colleagues who feel the greatest loss." | He said: "We grieve for them at this very sad time. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and colleagues who feel the greatest loss." |
| An MoD spokesman said the soldiers had been killed while on Operation Panthers Claw near Lashkar Gah in central Helmand province. | An MoD spokesman said the soldiers had been killed while on Operation Panthers Claw near Lashkar Gah in central Helmand province. |
| New offensive | |
| The operation is one of the UK military's biggest co-ordinated air operations of modern times. | The operation is one of the UK military's biggest co-ordinated air operations of modern times. |
| It was launched to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in and around Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah. | It was launched to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in and around Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah. |
| The new offensive by US troops involvs nearly 4,000 US Marines and 650 Afghan troops. | |
| The operation - named Khanjar, or Strike of the Sword - aims to clear insurgents from the region ahead of Afghanistan's presidential election in August. |