Soldier dies in Helmand bomb blast
The death toll for British service personnel in Afghanistan climbs to 379 as the MoD reports the death of another soldier in Helmand Province.
A British soldier has been killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The serviceman, from 1st Battalion The Rifles, died after an improvised explosive device was detonated while he was on foot patrol in the Shaparak area of Nahr-e Saraj in Helmand Province.
His family has been informed of his death.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand Major Rolf Kurth said: “It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of a soldier from 1st Battalion The Rifles in the Shaparak area of the Nahr-e Saraj District of Helmand Province today.
“The soldier was part of a foot patrol promoting a local community engagement project when he was killed in an explosion.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time. Major Rolf Kurth
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
The soldier’s death means the number of British service personnel who have died since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 now totals 379.
Suicide attack on compound
The news comes on the same day that six suicide bombers attacked a provincial governor’s compound in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 19 people.
The attack tool place in the Parwan provincial capital of Charikar, some 30 miles north of Kabul.
The blast blew open a hole in the wall of the compound, allowing five Taliban insurgents wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades to rush inside.
The attack appeared to target a meeting of top provincial security officials that was taking place in the compound.