British, three Afghan soldiers killed
Monday, 10 August 2009
KABUL, Aug 9 (AFP): A British soldier and three Afghan troopers have been killed in suspected insurgent bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan, the military said Sunday, as security forces braced for the August 20 elections.
The British soldier, who was serving with NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) Saturday, ISAF said in a statement.
Defence officials in London confirmed the attack in the province of Helmand, a major Taliban bastion where British and US forces have been trying to flush out insurgents so that Afghans can vote later this month.
Such homemade bombs are the main weapon used against security forces by the extremist militants.
Twenty-seven British troops have been killed since the start of July and the spike in deaths has revived debate in Britain about British involvement in Afghanistan and the standard of equipment available to protect troops.
The British soldier, who was serving with NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) Saturday, ISAF said in a statement.
Defence officials in London confirmed the attack in the province of Helmand, a major Taliban bastion where British and US forces have been trying to flush out insurgents so that Afghans can vote later this month.
Such homemade bombs are the main weapon used against security forces by the extremist militants.
Twenty-seven British troops have been killed since the start of July and the spike in deaths has revived debate in Britain about British involvement in Afghanistan and the standard of equipment available to protect troops.