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| Third soldier dies in Afghanistan | Third soldier dies in Afghanistan |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A third British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, hours after the deaths of two soldiers in Helmand, the Ministry of Defence has said. | A third British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, hours after the deaths of two soldiers in Helmand, the Ministry of Defence has said. |
| The death takes the number killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 179 - the same number as killed in the Iraq war. | The death takes the number killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 179 - the same number as killed in the Iraq war. |
| The soldier, from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died in the country's south. His next of kin have been informed. | The soldier, from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died in the country's south. His next of kin have been informed. |
| Ten British soldiers have now died in Afghanistan this month, including the two in separate attacks on Thursday. | Ten British soldiers have now died in Afghanistan this month, including the two in separate attacks on Thursday. |
| The serviceman who died on Friday was killed near Nad Ali, Helmand province. | The serviceman who died on Friday was killed near Nad Ali, Helmand province. |
| Lt Col Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "The loss of this brave Tankie has hit us all deeply. We grieve for him at this very sad time. | Lt Col Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "The loss of this brave Tankie has hit us all deeply. We grieve for him at this very sad time. |
| "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues who feel the greatest loss. His loss has not been in vain." | "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues who feel the greatest loss. His loss has not been in vain." |
| Fight 'winnable' | Fight 'winnable' |
| One of the two soldiers to die on Thursday was from 4th Battalion The Rifles. He was killed in a blast while on foot patrol near Nad Ali. | One of the two soldiers to die on Thursday was from 4th Battalion The Rifles. He was killed in a blast while on foot patrol near Nad Ali. |
| The second, from Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed during an engagement with insurgent forces near Lashkar Gah on Thursday evening. | The second, from Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed during an engagement with insurgent forces near Lashkar Gah on Thursday evening. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown responded to the news of the first two deaths from Italy, where he is attending the G8 summit. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown responded to the news of the first two deaths from Italy, where he is attending the G8 summit. |
| "This is a very hard summer, it's not over but it's vital that the international community sees through its commitment [to Afghanistan]," he said. | "This is a very hard summer, it's not over but it's vital that the international community sees through its commitment [to Afghanistan]," he said. |
| "There's a recognition that this is a task that the world has got to accept together. | "There's a recognition that this is a task that the world has got to accept together. |
| "We must and we will do everything we can to support our forces as they put their lives on the line." | "We must and we will do everything we can to support our forces as they put their lives on the line." |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth insisted that the conflict was "winnable" but warned that there would be no early end to the fighting. | Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth insisted that the conflict was "winnable" but warned that there would be no early end to the fighting. |
| BRITISH FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN MARCH 2006 - JULY 2009 September 2006: Highest monthly toll with 19 dead including 14 killed when a RAF Nimrod crashes in Afghanistan.June 2008: British death toll reaches 100 with the death of Pte Daniel Gamble, above. Among the 13 fatalities in June is the first British female soldier.May 2009: Surge in casualties as Taliban use powerful Improvised Explosive Devices to attack British forces. | BRITISH FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN MARCH 2006 - JULY 2009 September 2006: Highest monthly toll with 19 dead including 14 killed when a RAF Nimrod crashes in Afghanistan.June 2008: British death toll reaches 100 with the death of Pte Daniel Gamble, above. Among the 13 fatalities in June is the first British female soldier.May 2009: Surge in casualties as Taliban use powerful Improvised Explosive Devices to attack British forces. |
| Speaking earlier on Friday Lt Col Richardson had said their deaths "were not in vain". | |
| Kelly Gore, from Bridgend, south Wales, lost her partner L/Sgt Tobie Fasfous, when he was killed by an explosion in Helmand in April. | |
| On Sunday she heard their friend L/Cpl Dane Elson had also been killed. | |
| Hearing about so many deaths over a few days had been particularly difficult, she told the BBC. | |
| Kelly Gore's partner died in Afghanistan in April | |
| "It's just awful. It just takes you back to that day, that horrible day, the devastation it causes for families is unbelievable. | |
| "Your whole world falls apart in seconds." | |
| She said although she backed the soldiers "one thousand per cent" she had questioned why Tobie and others went to Afghanistan. | |
| "I just hope something good does come out of this. Then the boys did good. They died for a reason." | |
| British forces are engaged in a major offensive in Helmand province, in the south of the country, and have been joined by about 4,000 US and 650 Afghan troops. | |
| The joint campaign is designed to drive the Taliban out of the region and make it safe for presidential elections due next month. | |
| The bodies of five soldiers killed in Afghanistan over the past week were returned to the UK on Friday. | |
| The aircraft carrying their coffins arrived at RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire, for a repatriation ceremony. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe government is not doing enough for our military. We need a massive surge of British troops to take more of the fight to the TalibanJames McCartney, St Austell Send us your comments | |
| After the ceremony, hearses carrying the coffins passed through nearby Wootton Bassett, which was lined with hundreds of mourners. | |
| The former UK ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, has told the BBC he does not think the operation in Afghanistan was well-enough resourced. | |
| He said: "We don't have enough troops in the Army to run these sorts of operations any more, we've cut down too far." | |
| But he said: "We want to see an Afghanistan that doesn't threaten us, therefore we do have dogs in this fight." |