British soldier killed in southern Afghanistan

August 6, 2006

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a British soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan during a joint operation with Canadian-led NATO troops. "It is with regret that we can confirm that a member of the UK Armed Forces has been killed in action this afternoon during ongoing operations against insurgent positions in Helmand Province, Southern Afghanistan," said an MOD statement.

According to a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force, a NATO peacekeeping organisation, troops came under fire after a successful operation.

The soldier’s details have not been released as next of kin have not yet been told.

In the past two months, ten British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.

The Sunday Telegraph today quoted commandos as saying British troops in Afghanistan are on "the brink of exhaustion".