By IANS,
London : Six British soldiers were reported missing, believed killed, after their armoured vehicle was hit by an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) said Wednesday.
The soldiers, five from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment and one from 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, were on a mounted patrol when their vehicle was struck by an explosion in Helmand province Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “I utterly condemn those responsible for this incident who will ultimately fail to derail a mission that is protecting our national security at home and making real progress in Helmand province.”
Britain is “on course” to end its combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, he said.
Further details were still being confirmed. It could be the biggest loss of British military personnel in a single assault in Afghanistan since 2001.