Spanish soldier shot dead in western Afghanistan

Spanish soldier shot dead in western Afghanistan

2011-11-07 05:39:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- A Spanish soldier died in the western region of Afghanistan on Sunday after he was shot by a sniper, the Spanish government confirmed.

The attack happened southeast of Ludina in Badghis province, according to Spain's Ministry of Defense. It said a number of Spanish troops, who are training Afghan army personnel, were accompanying an Afghan patrol when a sniper opened fire at them.

The victim was identified as 35-year-old Staff Sergeant Joaquin Moya Espejo who received a gunshot to his chest, critically injuring him despite the personal armor he was wearing. He was airlifted to a military hospital at Forward Operating Base Todd but went into cardiac arrest during the flight.

Spain's Ministry of Defense said Espejo, who is from the city of Cordova in southern Spain, was the father of a child. "His family has been informed of his death," the Ministry said in a statement.

Upon receiving the news, Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon canceled his scheduled trip to the island of El Hierro and said he would personally travel to Afghanistan to receive more information about the incident. Chief of Defense Staff José Julio Rodríguez Fernández will accompany him.

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 NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in Afghanistan, including more than 1,500 Spanish soldiers.

So far this year, at least 514 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 in August when a U.S. helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 U.S. troops, seven Afghan soldiers and an Afghan interpreter.

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