UK soldier shot during Afghanistan patrol
Soldier from Seventh Battalion the Rifles shot during routine patrol in Afghanistan, next of kin informed
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 15, Nov 2009 03:35
By Matthew Champion
A soldier from the Seventh Battalion the Rifles has died in Afghanistan after being shot while on routine foot patrol.
The Ministry of Defence said the soldier, attached to the Third Battalion the Rifles Battle Group, died after coming under "small arms fire" in Sangin, central Helmand province, this morning.
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Taskforce Helmand, said the soldier's next of kin had been informed.
"It is my sad duty to inform you that this morning a British soldier from the 3 Rifles Battle Group was shot and killed while on patrol in Helmand province," Lt Col Wakefield said.
"He died in the course of his duty. He will be missed by us, his comrades, and we will remember him."
The unnamed soldier's death comes ahead of a major announcement by Barack Obama on the scale of potential US reinforcements for the Afghan mission.
President Obama is mulling over a request from the senior US and Nato commander on the ground for an additional 40,000 troops.