Afghanistan Fatalities Hit 100

A soldier was killed yesterday in Afghanistan bringing the death toll of British troops to 100.

The latest casualty that marked this bloody milestone came when a soldier from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment was shot dead in a gun battle with Taliban insurgents near the town of Nad-e Ali, in central Helmand Province.

This year has been the bloodiest for British forces since the Falklands War in 1982, and follows 39 British deaths in the Afghan conflict in 2006, 42 in 2007 and 51 in 2008.

The Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, has asked the public not to judge the campaign by casualties alone.

Head of the Army General Sir David Richards said such a judgement "undervalues the tremendous efforts" of the UK troops.

He added the death of the 100th soldier in Afghanistan "hardens our determination to succeed".

The 100th death comes only a week after the 99th UK serviceman was killed in Afghanistan this year, 30-year-old Acting Sgt John Amer.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered in Wimborne, Dorset, for the funeral of 20-year-old Rifleman Philip Allen - of 2nd Battalion The Rifles - who was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on the eve of Remembrance Day.

Earlier this month Prince Edward also attended a thanksgiving service for the Army's Ulster-based 19 Light Brigade which took place at St Anne's Cathedral.

The Commander of 19 Light Brigade, Brigadier Tim Radford laid a memorial wreath at the altar and read out the names of all the 83 service personnel who died in Helmand.

However Mr Ainsworth said there was a "sense of very real progress" in Afghanistan.

He added: "The mission is of vital importance to our national security back in the UK and people have to understand that's the reason we are here."

Gordon Brown also said the rising toll would not shake his resolve - insisting that smashing the Taliban and Al Qaeda was 'vital' to keeping the streets of Britain protected from terrorists.

See: 'Progress Being Made' In Afghanistan War

(LB/BMcC)