Four UK soldiers die in Afghanistan
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Four UK soldiers die in Afghanistan*
BBC - Four UK soldiers, one believed to be a woman, have died in
Afghanistan after their vehicle was caught in a blast.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the bravery of the soldiers, who
died east of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.
The dead soldiers' next-of-kin have been informed. Their deaths take to
nine the number of UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan in the last two weeks.
If confirmed that one of the dead was a woman, she would be the first
British female soldier to have died there.
It is understood she was a member of the Intelligence Corps.
The four deaths take to 106 the number of British soldiers killed in
Afghanistan since 2001.
'Dangerous job'
Three of the soldiers were killed in the blast and another was
pronounced dead at the Camp Bastion medical base.
The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan...we are enjoying a degree of
success-Defence Secretary Des Browne
A fifth soldier wounded in the attack, which happened at 1540 local time
on Tuesday, is in a stable condition.
Mr Brown said: "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the
families of the four brave British soldiers who have lost their lives in
Afghanistan and will be deeply mourned.
"They were in the most dangerous of jobs in the most difficult of
circumstances.
"I salute, not just their bravery, dedication and professionalism, but
that of all our armed forces. Our troops are the best in the world and
fighting for the noblest of causes."
Des Browne sends his condolences to the families
Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "We've had a very difficult time over
the last 10 days. We've lost nine soldiers altogether in three separate
incidents."
He added: "The Taleban are losing in Afghanistan, I know it may not
appear like that at the moment, but we are enjoying a degree of success."
The bodies of five British soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, the
Parachute Regiment, were flown back to the UK this week.
Two of them, L/Cpl James Bateman and Pte Jeff Doherty, were patrolling
on foot near their base in Helmand when they came under fire on Thursday
last week.
Ptes Nathan Cuthbertson, David Murray and Daniel Gamble, also on foot
patrol, died in a suicide bombing on 8 June.
The latest deaths are the biggest single loss of British lives in
Afghanistan since an RAF Nimrod crash in 2006 which killed 14 servicemen.
Extra troops
BBC News defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the feeling among
British military leaders was that the Taleban was being outgunned and
that its command-and-control was disintegrating.
The problem is that this has driven the Taleban to measures such as the
latest explosion which are very difficult to defend against, she said.
Brig Gen Carlos Branco, from the Nato-led International Security
Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said: "Our thoughts and sincere
condolences are with the family and friends of the brave soldiers who
were killed today.
"These soldiers died and were wounded trying to help bring peace and
security for the Afghan people."
Mr Browne announced this week that British troop numbers in Afghanistan
will rise by 230 to a new high of more than 8,000 by next spring.
The new troops will boost protection for UK personnel, improve Afghan
security training and aid reconstruction work.
The former head of the Army, Gen Sir Mike Jackson, said on Tuesday that
British troops must be prepared to match the "strategic endurance" of
the Taleban.
He welcomed the announcement of more troops for Afghanistan, and said it
would be wrong to set a time frame on withdrawing forces.