British soldier shot dead in southern Afghanistan

[News_Editor]

British soldier shot dead in southern Afghanistan

2011-09-15 16:26:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- A British service member was shot dead on Wednesday while on patrol in southern Afghanistan, a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense said on Thursday.

The Ministry of Defense said a soldier from 1st Battalion The Rifles was shot dead on Wednesday while on patrol in Haji Khodin Nazar, a village located in southern Helmand province. His identity was not immediately released, but next of kin have been informed.

"The soldier was on a partnered patrol with the Afghan Uniformed Police when they came under small arms fire during which he was fatally wounded," said Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan have been rising sharply in recent years, with a total coalition death toll of 709 in 2010, making it the deadliest year for international troops since the war began in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

There are currently more than 130,000 ISAF troops in Afghanistan, including some 90,000 U.S. troops and more than 9,500 British soldiers. U.S. President Barack Obama previously ordered a drawdown of 10,000 American troops later this year, with another 23,000 U.S. troops to return home next year.

So far this year, at least 435 coalition service members have been killed in Afghanistan. Most troops are American and are killed in the country's south, which is plagued by IED attacks on troops and civilians. The deadliest incident happened last month when a U.S. helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 U.S. troops, seven Afghan troops and an Afghan interpreter.

Including Thursday's casualty, a total of 381 British service members have been killed during operations in Afghanistan since 2001.

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