Another British soldier killed in Afghanistan
Sunday, 29 Jun 2008 09:21
Warrant Officer Dan Shirley was killed in Afghanistan on Friday
A British soldier has died after stepping on a "legacy" landmine in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the death of the soldier in the unstable country's Lashkar Gar area at 11:00 local time (07:30 BST) yesterday.
The soldier, from B Company 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed instantly, the MoD said. The incident occurred after a vehicle checkpoint patrol were investigating reports of a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a civilian aircraft at Bost airfield.
"The soldiers'next of kin have been informed and have requested a period of grace before further details are released," the MoD said in a statement.
Today's death is the 110th among British forces serving in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted from power there in 2001.
There has been a wave of fatalities recently, including a soldier killed in the country on Friday after the vehicle he was travelling in "rolled over".
The soldier's identity was released this morning by the MoD. He was 32-year-old Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dan Shirley from 13 Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps.
His friend and colleague, Sergeant Nick Murphy, said: "He was always talking about his family and loved taking his children to watch his beloved Leicester City. We will all miss his endless banter, energy and sense of humour."