Third British soldier dies in three days in Afghanistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, Feb 26, IRNA -- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London Friday announced that a third British soldier had been killed in Afghanistan in the past three days.
The latest victim attached to the Brigade Reconnaissance Force died in an explosion while on foot patrol near Check Point Shamal Storrei in the Nad-e Ali District of Helmand Province, it said.
A British soldier was shot dead also while on foot patrol near Sangin on Thursday, while a British airman was killed in an explosion in Kandahar province on Wednesday night.
A total of 266 British servicemen, including 14 so far this month, have died in Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taliban regime more than eight years ago.
It was revealed in parliament on Thursday that UK Armed Forces are operating with a shortage of medics.
Government figures showed the number of fully-qualified medical officers is 42% below the required level and there is a 21% shortfall in the number of nurses.
The statistics were obtained by former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, who said the shortage must place "enormous strain" on the Defence Medical Services.
But the MoD has insisted there was "no question" that British forces had been sent into battle without the "appropriate medical support" but acknowledged that manpower shortages “remain a problem."
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End News / IRNA / News Code 981535
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