A Royal Marine and another British soldier have been killed while on patrol in Afghanistan’s restive Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence in London said.
“It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce the deaths of a Royal Marine from 40 Commando Royal Marines and a soldier from 3 Medical Regiment,” the MoD said in a statement.
“They died from injuries sustained whilst on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province,” it added.
The pair died on Wednesday, the ministry said.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Laurence Roche, said it was “dreadful news for all of us serving in Afghanistan”.
“Our sincere condolences go to their families, friends and colleagues at this time of grief,” he added.
The deaths brought to 435 the number of British troops killed since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001. Of these, at least 392 have died as a result of hostile action.
Britain has around 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, making it the second-largest contributor to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force after the United States.
They are based in central Helmand, battling Taliban insurgents and training local security forces. Britain intends to pull out all its combat troops by the end of 2014.
Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
