World | Afghanistan
2 British soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan
A roadside bomb and a rocket-propelled grenade in southern Afghanistan killed two British soldiers, while gunmen in the east abducted 16 mine-clearing personnel working for the United Nations, officials said on Sunday.
- Agencies
- Published: 14:15 July 5, 2009
Kabul: A roadside bomb and a rocket-propelled grenade in southern Afghanistan killed two British soldiers, while gunmen in the east abducted 16 mine-clearing personnel working for the United Nations, officials said on Sunday.
The attacks that killed the British troops in Helmand province's Gereshk district came as thousands of US Marines pour into the Taliban's southern heartland, in the biggest US military offensive operation in Afghanistan since the toppling of the militants in 2001.
It wasn't clear if the British casualties were involved in the Marine operation taking place in the same province.
Britain's Ministry of Defense said both attacks took place near Gereshk in Helmand province on Saturday. Earlier the Nato-led force said the two had died in a single incident. It was not immediately clear what caused the discrepancy in the accounts.
Taliban militants frequently use roadside bombs in their fight against Afghan and foreign forces in the country.
Responding to the deteriorating security situation, President Barack Obama's administration has ordered 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan and expects the total number of US forces there to reach 68,000 by year's end.
That is double the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2008 but still half as many as are now in Iraq.
Afghanistan
Afghan child labour may rise as aid dried up
People smugglers
Rebels 'to retake Kabul after Nato withdrawal'
Afghan woman killed for giving birth to girl
Afghan woman killed, apparently for bearing girl
Britain sticks to 2014 pull-out
It's a new start for Afghanistan
Afghans hit by rising food prices
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
6,000 cups and counting: Addicted to that tea
This cafeteria in Al Mamzar attracts thousands of customers daily, including the rich and not so rich
-
Swimming pool horror: Twins hospitalised
Twins rushed to hospital after collapsing from chlorine inhalation at swimming pool in their villa
-
Play your cards right with credit card interest
UAE Central Bank plans to cap interest rates, but are you paying thirty-five per cent now?
