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UK soldier killed in Afghanistan | UK soldier killed in Afghanistan |
(30 minutes later) | |
A British soldier has died in Afghanistan after coming under small arms fire, defence officials have said. | A British soldier has died in Afghanistan after coming under small arms fire, defence officials have said. |
The soldier, a member of the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, had been on a routine patrol. His next of kin have been informed. | |
The MoD said the attack happened after troops challenged a five-man Taleban team attempting to set up an ambush. | |
Later, two soldiers from the patrol were injured in a firefight with a different Taleban force. | |
The death took the number of UK troops killed in operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 53. | |
Of the 53, 22 died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries, according to the MoD. | |
The government announced in February it would boost UK troop numbers in the country, with a total of 7,700 being stationed there by the summer. | |
Second incident | Second incident |
The soldier's regiment, known as the Vikings, is currently based near the town of Now Zad, in north-west Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan. | The soldier's regiment, known as the Vikings, is currently based near the town of Now Zad, in north-west Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan. |
The MoD said the initial confrontation gave way to a firefight involving a larger Taleban force equipped with mortars, rockets, and heavy machine guns. | The MoD said the initial confrontation gave way to a firefight involving a larger Taleban force equipped with mortars, rockets, and heavy machine guns. |
Paramedics were called to the scene when the soldier was hit. | |
Their Chinook helicopter came under fire as it landed at the scene, while an Apache attack helicopter engaged Taleban forces with its 30mm cannon. | |
The soldier was airlifted to the main British base at Camp Bastion, but was pronounced dead on arrival. | The soldier was airlifted to the main British base at Camp Bastion, but was pronounced dead on arrival. |
The second firefight lasted for more than two hours. | |
"An initial estimate is that a significant number of the enemy were killed," the MoD said. | "An initial estimate is that a significant number of the enemy were killed," the MoD said. |
The injured soldiers were also airlifted to Camp Bastion but their condition is not said to be serious. |