Afghanistan: UK troops killed

Two British soldiers have been killed in an ambush in southern Afghanistan. The men died when rebels attacked a Nato patrol in Helmand province, according to the International Assistance Security Force (ISAF). Militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns ambushed the patrol as it made its way through the area. A third Nato soldier was seriously injured in the attack and another is missing, presumed dead. The deadly ambush came a day after Nato took control of security in the volatile region. As part of the Nato mission, the UK has taken up responsibility for security in Helmand province, much of which has remained outside the control of the government in Kabul for the best part of 30 years. A UK force, due to number 4,500 by the autumn, is conducting operations from its desert base, Camp Bastion, near provincial capital Lashkar Gah. In contrast to earlier US-led operations designed to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, the Isaf mission in the south is defined as being to provide security for reconstruction and development work. The latest deaths bring the number of British soldiers to have been killed in Afghanistan in the past two months to eight. An MoD spokeswoman said: 'We can confirm that UK forces have been involved in an ongoing action with insurgent forces in northern Helmand province. 'During the incident a UK vehicle patrol was attacked by insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. 'Sadly two UK soldiers have died, one is missing, presumed killed, and another is seriously injured.'

ITN | August 1, 2006

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