21/07/2009

Afghan Blast Kills Another Soldier

It has been another bloody 24-hours for UK forces as another British soldier has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan.

It means 187 UK servicemen have now died in the conflict and while the next of kin of the latest victim - an explosives specialist - have been informed - the trooper has yet to be named.

The last casualty was Corporal Joseph Etchells, 22, from Mossley, Greater Manchester.

He died on Sunday morning while on foot patrol in Sangin, in northern Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence said.

It also emerged today that the son of a British Army general has reportedly lost a leg in a blast in the country.

Captain Harry Parker, 26, is seriously ill in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham after suffering multiple injuries in the explosion.

According to The Sun newspaper, his father is Lieutenant General Sir Nick Parker, who is the Army's third most senior officer and will become Deputy Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan in September.

Capt Parker was injured by a bomb as he led a foot patrol of the 4th Battalion The Rifles in Helmand on Saturday, it is claimed.

However, a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on individual casualties."

(BMcC/KMcA)

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