London - A British soldier has been killed in an explosion in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, taking to seven the number of British military fatalities in just one week, reports in London said Wednesday. The soldier was taking part in a major operation by US and British forces against the Taliban when he was killed near the town of Gereshk late Tuesday, the Press Association said.
It quoted Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, as saying: "This soldier gave his life for the security of his own country and the freedom of the Afghan people -there is no greater sacrifice than this."
The death takes the number of British servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 176.
