British soldier killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

A British soldier has been killed while on foot patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said. The soldier from The 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was killed as a result of an explosion near Sangin, northern Helmand Province, on Sunday morning. Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson said: "It is with extreme sadness that I must report the death of a brave soldier. "He laid down his life for his country and the good people of Afghanistan. "We grieve for his loss and join with his family and friends to mourn his passing." Next of kin have been informed. Meanwhile, a British Tornado fighter jet has crashed at a major Nato base in southern Afghanistan, officials said. Nato spokesman Captain Glen Parent said the Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft crashed shortly after take-off at Kandahar Air Field, the main military base for foreign troops in Kandahar province. The two-seater Tornado crashed in flames inside the Kandahar base, Nato spokesman Capt Parent said, but the fire was later extinguished. "It had British crew. They both ejected safely from the aircraft and are being treated for minor injuries," he added. Nato officials said the crash was not the result of an attack by insurgents. But Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf said the insurgents had shot down a Nato aircraft near the Kandahar base, killing several soldiers. The Taliban routinely claim responsibility for downing US and Nato aircraft, usually with inflated casualty numbers. It is the third aircraft mishap in as many days as foreign forces press their new offensives against the Taliban. With military casualties rising, Afghanistan's growing insurgency is also taking a heavy toll on civilians. In the remote west, 12 Afghan traders were killed when their van hit a roadside bomb which was probably meant for Afghan or foreign troops.

» More on this story... «

ITN | July 20, 2009

Tags:. .lieutenant. .fighter. .muhammad. .yousuf. .qari