By KUNA,
London : A British soldier died after being injured in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, bringing the total number of UK troops killed in the country to 201, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced earlier on Sunday.
The serviceman, from 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was caught up in an explosion while on a foot patrol near Sangin in Helmand Province yesterday, the MOD said.
News of the 201st fatality came on the heels of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s pledge to press ahead with the “vital” mission in Afghanistan after the UK death toll hit 200 last night.
The Prime Minister said news that the grim milestone had been reached, after a soldier died from injuries sustained in a roadside bomb blast, was “deeply tragic”. But, he insisted, “My commitment is clear: we must and will make Britain safer by making Afghanistan more stable.
“We will honour and support those who have been killed or wounded in the field of battle. And, we will give those who fight on all the support that they need to succeed in this vital mission.” The 200th casualty, from The 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, died yesterday at the Royal College of Defence Medicine, in Selly Oak, West Midlands, central England.
He had been on vehicle patrol near Musa Qal’eh in Helmand Province when the explosion happened last Thursday morning.
The announcement came just hours after three British troops killed providing security for the Afghan elections were named by the Ministry of Defence. Two of the soldiers died trying to save the third who had been injured in an earlier blast.
Brown said it was a “day of mourning, and also a day of reflection,” adding that Britain was “hugely indebted to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.” “The best way to honour the memory of those who have died is to see that commitment through,” he said.
“Three quarters of terrorist plots against Britain come from the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Defence secretary Bob Ainsworth said it was a “grim day”.
“This is a difficult time but we must all take solace from the fact that, although sometimes slow, we have been making good progress in Afghanistan,” he said.
Analysts said the mounting attacks have been seen as a message from the Taliban that it can attack anywhere as Afghans gear up for their second direct presidential election on August 20.
Militants have warned people not to vote and have also threatened to attack polling sites.
There have been 10 British fatalities in Afghanistan this month. In July, 22 UK personnel died as operations were stepped up, the highest monthly total since the mission began in October 2001.
There are around 9,000 UK troops in Afghanistan, the majority in the southern Helmand province, the stronghold of insurgency.