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British soldier shot in Helmand British soldier shot in Helmand
(40 minutes later)
A British soldier has become the second UK serviceman to die in Afghanistan within 24 hours, the Ministry of Defence has said. A British soldier has been shot, becoming the second UK serviceman to die in Afghanistan within 24 hours, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The soldier, from A Company, 4th Battalion The Rifles, was on foot patrol near Sangin, Helmand, on Thursday when he was shot. The man, from A Company, 4th Battalion The Rifles, died while on foot patrol near Sangin, Helmand, on Thursday.
He had been serving as part of the 3 Rifles battle group. His family have been informed. The ministry had earlier announced the death of an airman, of 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment and part of the Kandahar Airfield Defence Force, in a blast.
An airman, of 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment, died in an explosion on Wednesday. He died on Wednesday while on vehicle patrol. Both families have been told.
He was part of the Kandahar Airfield Defence Force and was killed on vehicle patrol 4km (2.5 miles) north of the province's airfield. He died doing his duty and among his fellow airmen; his sacrifice will not be forgotten Lt Col David Wakefield class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8536172.stm">Afghan blast kills British airman
'Selfless commitment'
Neither death was connected to the ongoing Operation Moshtarak, which involves up to 15,000 Nato troops clearing the Taliban from parts of southern Helmand.Neither death was connected to the ongoing Operation Moshtarak, which involves up to 15,000 Nato troops clearing the Taliban from parts of southern Helmand.
Spokesman for Britain's Task Force Helmand, Lt Col David Wakefield, said of the soldier: "His courage and his selfless commitment will be sorely missed by us, his comrades; we will remember him." Some 4,000 British personnel have been involved in the offensive, alongside US and Afghan forces, with the aim of securing government control in the towns of Marjah and Nad Ali.
The spokesman for Britain's Task Force Helmand, Lt Col David Wakefield, said the soldier had been serving as part of the 3 Rifles Battle Group.
"He was on a foot patrol, part of ongoing operations to protect the people of Sangin from insurgents, when his patrol was fired on," he said.
"His courage and his selfless commitment will be sorely missed by us, his comrades; we will remember him."
The latest two deaths take the number of British service personnel killed in the conflict to 265.The latest two deaths take the number of British service personnel killed in the conflict to 265.