British soldier dies from Afghan injuries
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, June 15, IRNA -- A Royal Marine has died in a UK hospital after sustaining injuries in Afghanistan over the weekend, the Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday.
The soldier, who has yet to be named, was said to have been shot in a gun battle with insurgents while on foot patrol in Sangin, Helmand province on Sunday.
His death brings to 296 the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Talban regime nearly nine years ago.
So far this year, 51 British soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan, including seven who have been killed since the US took over control of some 8,000 UK troops in Helmand province two weeks ago as part of a restructuring of Nato forces.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who visited British troops in Helmand province last week, warned MPs on Monday of further casualties when the "so-called fighting season resumes."
"The current year is the vital one. We are six months into an 18-month military surge and we must now redouble our efforts to drive progress," Cameron said.
But conscious that about opinion polls showing the majority of the public what British soldiers withdrawn from Afghanistan, he insisted he wanted to bring the troops home “the moment it is safe to do so."
"When we have succeeded in enabling the Afghans to take control of their own security, our troops can begin to come home," he said, while also emphasising that their deployment was for Britain’s “national security."
Echoing the prime minister’s remarks, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said in a speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London on Monday that British troops were in Helmand province "out of necessity, not choice."
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End News / IRNA / News Code 1178905
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