London - A lieutenant colonel in Afghanistan has become the highest-ranking British officer to die in combat since the Falkland Islands war with Argentina in 1982, the Defence Ministry announced late Thursday in London. The officer and another soldier died when a bomb blast struck their vehicle in Helmand province, where a major US-led offensive began Thursday against Taliban insurgents.
Six British soldiers were wounded in the attack.
since the start of military operations in Afghanistan in late 2001, 171 members of the British military have died.
