RAF serviceman dies from Afghanistan injuries

The serviceman was seriously wounded when his vehicle was caught in an explosion south of Kabul on Thursday.

An MoD spokesman said: “It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of a member of the Royal Air Force on Friday 23rd December 2011.

“The serviceman was seriously wounded when his vehicle was caught in an explosion south of Kabul on Thursday 22nd December.

“He was flown back to the UK where sadly he died of his wounds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.”

It is understood the Marine who also died was serving with the Special Forces but the MoD does not comment specifically on Special Forces deaths. His family has also been told.

Helicopter in emergency landing

Earlier Isaf said that a helicopter carrying British troops was forced to make an emergency landing after coming under fire yesterday.

The forced landing took place near an Afghan National Security Force checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj district, in southern Helmand Province.

The helicopter landed safely and without incident and the aircrew were recovered unharmed, Isaf said.

The helicopter was taken to a nearby coalition base where it was found to have received small arms fire.

The MoD confirmed a British helicopter was involved but said it had no further details.

A total of 392 British troops have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001.

Earlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron indicated he was planning further withdrawals of troops from the country in 2013 after the 500 due to be pulled out next year.

But he again refused to give an exact timescale for how Britain’s deployment would be withdrawn ahead of his deadline for all combat troops to be out by the end of 2014.

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