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Afghan blast death soldiers named UK soldiers died 'to save lives'
(about 1 hour later)
Two British soldiers killed by a suspected suicide bomber while on patrol with the Afghan army have been named by the Ministry of Defence. Two UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan sacrificed their lives to stop suicide bombers attacking a packed marketplace, their commanding officer has said.
Lance Corporal David Kirkness and Rifleman James Brown, both of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, died near Sangin in Helmand on Tuesday afternoon. L/Cpl David Kirkness, 24, of West Yorkshire, and Rifleman James Brown, 18, from Hampshire, both of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, died on Tuesday.
The explosion also killed two Afghan army soldiers. They were killed by an explosion at a vehicle checkpoint near Sangin in Helmand. Two Afghan soldiers also died.
Their commanding officer said they had sacrificed their lives to stop bombs going off in a packed marketplace. Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson said they "averted a much larger tragedy".
A total of 239 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, including 102 so far this year. The soldiers were on a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army and the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force. They were on foot at the time of the blast.
The soldiers were on a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army and the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force. 'Comfort and pride'
'Deep sadness'
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The deaths came on the day the body of the 100th British soldier to die in Afghanistan this year, Lance Corporal Adam Drane, was returned to the UK. Lance Corporal Kirkness, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was described by his commanding officer as "a first-class leader".
They also coincided with a government announcement of defence cuts to help fund military resources for Afghanistan, including the purchase of 22 new Chinook helicopters. He said: "To the younger riflemen he gave inspiration and guidance, earning their respect and instilling in them the confidence and understanding to guide them through their current challenges.
The first of 500 extra British troops to be deployed to Afghanistan have also arrived in the country. "He balanced courage and grit with compassion and consideration, winning trust, admiration and friendship wherever he went.
"Tragic as his loss is, we take comfort and pride from the fact that he and the soldiers who died with him, both Afghan and British, averted a much larger tragedy.
"Their sacrifice prevented two suicide bombers from reaching their intended target, the bustling and ever more prosperous Sangin Bazaar, packed with local Afghans going about their daily business."
A statement from his parents, Christopher and Margaret Kirkness and his three-year-old daughter, Brooke, said: "We would like to thank family and friends for their support over these difficult times.
"If you knew David, you had to love him - it was impossible not to. And in David's own words, 'If you didn't know me, hard luck.' He will always be in our hearts."
'Bright future'
The family of Rifleman Brown, from Farnborough, Hampshire, said: "James Stephen Brown, a son, brother, uncle, boyfriend and a friend. You were a true hero and will be dearly missed.
"We all love you so much. You died a hero living your dream and you will always be in our thoughts. Your actions will always speak louder than words ever could."
Lt Col Kitson said he was a young man "showing the promising signs of a soldier with a bright future".
He said: "He had already made a lasting impression on his fellow riflemen with his immense courage, infectious confidence and talent for making people laugh.
"What he lacked in experience he made up for in enthusiasm, young yet keen to please and with a voracious appetite for work and fun in equal measure.
"It is all the more difficult to come to terms with the loss of one so young and we are all deprived of the joy of watching his promise unfold."
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said he was "extremely saddened" to learn of the deaths.
A total of 239 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, including 102 this year.