UK soldier shot dead in Afghanistan, number of military personnel killed in country increases to 233

November 16, 2009

A British soldier has been shot dead in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has announced. The soldier, who came from 7th Battalion The Rifles, was killed by "small arms fire" while he was on foot patrol near the town of Sangin on Sunday morning. With the revelation of this information, the total number of military personnel that has now been killed in Afghanistan since the year 2001 has now increased to 233.

The family of the soldier have now been told. Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, who is the spokesperson for Task Force Helmand, said that "[i]t is my sad duty to inform you that this morning a British soldier from the 3 Rifles Battle Group was shot and killed while on patrol in Helmand province.

"He died in the course of his duty. He will be missed by us, his comrades, and we will remember him." The soldier himself is currently remaining unidentified.