British Soldier Dies In Afghanistan Mine Blast

A British soldier has died in Afghanistan after stepping on an anti-personnel mine, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The soldier from B Compny 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland died when on operations in Afghanistan on Saturday.

A statement released by the MoD said: "At 1100 hrs local time the soldier was part of a vehicle checkpoint patrol operating in the Lashkar Gar area when they received a report of a Rocket Propelled Grenade attack on a civilian aircraft at Bost airfield in Lashkar Gar.

"When investigating this they dismounted their vehicles and that is when a legacy Anti-Personnel mine detonated, killing the soldier instantly."

It is reported that the landmine was "believed" to have been left over by the Soviet occupation.

The Soviets left Afghanistan in 1988 after an unsuccessful occupation.

The soldier's next of kin have been informed.

Another British soldier who died in the Helmand province on Friday when the vehicle he was travelling in rolled over has been named as Dan Shirley, 32, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps.

The MoD said: "WO2 Shirley was killed during a Logistic Patrol from Sangin to Camp Bastion at 2110 hrs local time when the WMIK he was travelling in rolled, trapping him beneath it.

"The medical incident response team was called in and evacuated WO2 Shirley to the ISAF medical facilities at Camp Bastion where, despite their best efforts, sadly he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards."

Lieutenant Colonel R J McNeil OBE, his Commanding Officer, paid tribute: "The loss of WO2 Dan Shirley has come as a huge shock to every member of the Regiment. He was known to all and universally respected. More than that, he was liked and admired. He was a perfect role model for young soldiers."

Defence Secretary, Des Browne said in an interview with Sky News: "This is a deeply dangerous and difficult task our people are involved in, in Southern Afghanistan.

"The fact of the matter is that these young people are helping to secure our way of life against the attacks of the Taleban and al-Qaeda. They are doing what needs to be done."

The death of the latest soldier from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders marks a shattering month for the British Forces. To date 13 troops have been killed meaning June has had the second highest death toll for British troops since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001.

The latest fatalities take the death toll of British service personnel in Afghanistan to 110 since November 2001.

See: Two Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

(DS)