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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Five more UK dead in Afghanistan | Five more UK dead in Afghanistan |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Five more British soldiers have died in Afghanistan, bringing to eight the total killed over 24 hours, the Ministry of Defence has said. | |
| The five, from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, were killed near Sangin, Helmand province, on Friday morning. Next of kin have been informed. | The five, from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, were killed near Sangin, Helmand province, on Friday morning. Next of kin have been informed. |
| Their deaths take the number killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184 - more than those killed in the Iraq war. | Their deaths take the number killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184 - more than those killed in the Iraq war. |
| Earlier, the MoD announced the deaths of three other soldiers in Helmand. | Earlier, the MoD announced the deaths of three other soldiers in Helmand. |
| Britain's Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup, said it was important to "remember why our people are fighting in Afghanistan and what they are achieving through their sacrifice and their courage". | |
| UK forces are engaged in an offensive in the region alongside US and Afghan troops. | |
| Insurgent forces | Insurgent forces |
| The five soldiers were killed in two separate blasts while on the same patrol. | The five soldiers were killed in two separate blasts while on the same patrol. |
| Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "While there are no words to ease their loss, our heartfelt sympathies go to their families, friends and fellow soldiers at this very difficult time: their deaths were not in vain." | Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "While there are no words to ease their loss, our heartfelt sympathies go to their families, friends and fellow soldiers at this very difficult time: their deaths were not in vain." |
| Earlier on Friday, it was confirmed a British soldier from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment died near Nad Ali in Helmand. That news came just hours after the deaths of another two soldiers were announced. | Earlier on Friday, it was confirmed a British soldier from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment died near Nad Ali in Helmand. That news came just hours after the deaths of another two soldiers were announced. |
| Those two soldiers died on Thursday evening. One was from 4th Battalion The Rifles and 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. | |
| Fifteen soldiers have died in 10 days in southern Afghanistan. | Fifteen soldiers have died in 10 days in southern Afghanistan. |
| 'Hard summer' | |
| UK troops are involved in Operation Panchai Palang, or Panther's Claw, a major British assault against the Taliban in Helmand ahead of next month's Afghan elections. They have been joined by about 4,000 US and 650 Afghan troops. | |
| 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. | |
| "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." | |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth insisted that the conflict was "winnable" but warned that there would be no early end to the fighting. |