Tagged with lieutenant colonel
LONDON (BNO NEWS) — Another British soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan on Monday, the third British fatality of the day, the country’s Ministry of Defence said.
The soldier from the 36 Engineer Regiment, part of the Counter-IED Task Force, died as a result of an explosion in Nad-e-Ali District, Helmand Province. He was leading a team conducting route clearance operations at the time, making the way ahead safe for others to follow, the Ministry said. “He was leading a team conducting route clearance operations at the time, making the way ahead safe for others to follow,” said Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield.
Next of kin have been informed of their loss.
KABUL (BNO NEWS) — Four soldiers, three Americans and one Briton, died in three separate incidents in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.
The NATO-led ISAF alliance said two American soldiers died in an improvised explosive device (IED) strike in southern Afghanistan, but provided no additional details. It also said a third American was killed in a second IED strike, also in the south.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence also announced a soldier from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles was killed in an explosion near Sangin, in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
“This morning in Sangin an explosion caused the death of a British soldier from A Company 3 RIFLES,” said Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, a spokesman for the Task Force Helmand. “It happened in the ‘Green Zone’ area to the south of Sangin District Centre, an area where until recently insurgents had held sway.”
Wakefield said the soldier was on a foot patrol as part of operations that have brought security to the local population. “We have lost one of our comrades and we will remember him,” he said.
The casualties bring the number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year to 37, including 25 American soldiers and six British soldiers.
The identity of the British soldier will be announced on Monday by the country’s Ministry of Defence. It said his family has been informed.
The identities of the American soldiers will be announced by the U.S. Department of Defense not earlier than Monday.
(Eds: Updates with nationality of soldier)
KABUL (BNO NEWS) — A British soldier died as a result of an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in southern Afghanistan on Friday, officials said.
The soldier from A Company 4 RIFLES, serving as part of 3 RIFLES Battle Group, died in an explosion that happened near Sangin, in central Helmand Province. The incident happened on Friday afternoon local time.
“He was on a foot patrol, part of a larger operation to provide security for the local population in Sangin, when the explosion happened,”said Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, a spokesman for the Task Force Helmand. “His courage and the sacrifice he has made will not be forgotten.”
Next of kin have been informed and have asked for a 24 hour period of grace before further details are released.
MANILA (BNO NEWS) — The fate of some Filipino peacekeepers remained uncertain on Wednesday, a day after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake destroyed much of Haiti’s capital. Thousands are feared dead.
According to the Filipino Department of Foreign Affairs, the country’s peacekeepers were among the first to rush to the headquarters of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and take part in rescue efforts after the building had collapsed during the quake.
The Philippine Mission to the United Nations said that it was informed by the UN that members of the 10th Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent under Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy are assisting in the search for an undetermined number of UN personnel who were in the building when it collapsed.
The Philippine Mission said it could not determine at this point if there were any casualties among members of the Philippine military and police contingents as well as UN civilian staff members serving with MINUSTAH as power and communications line have been cut off. It said it could not account for all of Filipino peacekeeping personnel as its only source of information was UN Headquarters in New York which was only able to establish contact with MINUSTAH officials via satellite phones.
However, it said that Lieutenant Colonel Dagoy was able to contact his wife via satellite phone and asked her to relay to the Peacekeeping Operations Center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that he was trying to account for all members of the contingent. While he did not mention any casualties or damage to the Philippine headquarters, he said contingent members were forced to vacate the building after the area was hit by a series of aftershocks.
The Philippine Mission said Sr. Supt. Rodolfo Fuentes, commander of the Philippine police contingent, was also able to establish contact through internet and said he and several other peacekeepers were safe in the UN Logistics Base near the Port-au-Prince International Airport.
There are currently 157 officers and enlisted personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and 15 officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) serving with MINUSTAH. There are also an undetermined number of Filipino civilian staff working with the UN.
Aside from the peacekeepers, there are some 447 Filipinos working in the garments, telecommunication and power sectors in the country, mostly in middle and upper management levels. There are also Filipino nuns and priests in Haiti.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has sent instructions to the Philippine Mission in New York, as well as the Philippine Embassy in Havana, Cuba, to check on the conditions of the members of the Filipino community in Haiti.
The Philippine Mission in New York will coordinate with the United Nations on the extension of assistance to them, as well as to the Haiti Government and people.
(Eds: Adds identity of British soldier)
KABUL (BNO NEWS) — Six soldiers were killed in three separate incidents in eastern and southern Afghanistan on Monday, officials said.
Three of the casualties were from the United States, according to the NATO-led ISAF alliance. Two other soldiers from France and Britain were also killed, while the identity of a sixth soldier was not immediately released.
“Three ISAF service members from the United States were killed this afternoon in an engagement with enemy forces in southern Afghanistan,” a statement from the alliance read. No further details were immediately released.
More than 830 American soldiers have died in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began on October 7, 2001.
A soldier from France was also killed when his patrol was attacked in the Alasay valley of eastern Afghanistan, north of Kabul. The office of President Sarkozy confirmed the soldier was from France, and said another officer was critically wounded in the attack.
“A non-commissioned officer paid with his life for the commitment of France to the peace and security of the Afghan people and an officer was very gravely wounded,” Sarkozy’s office said in a statement. “The President of the Republic shares the grief of their families and loved ones.”
Sarkozy’s office said the president reiterated his support to the Afghan people and said he strongly condemns the “indiscriminate violence.” “[Sarkozy] expressed the determination of France to continue working with the International Security Assistance Force.”
Another soldier, from Britain, was killed in an explosion in the Musa Qaleh area of northern Helmand, in southern Afghanistan.
“It is with deep sadness I must inform you that this morning a soldier from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, part of the Counter-IED Task Force, was killed by an explosion in the Musa Qaleh area of Northern Helmand,” Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, a spokesman for the Task Force Helmand, said.
NATO also said a sixth soldier died in eastern Afghanistan, but it was not immediately clear which country he belonged to.
LONDON (BNO NEWS) — A British soldier was killed as a result of an explosion that occurred in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province on Monday, the British Ministry of Defence said.
The ministry in a statement said the explosion occurred during a patrol in the Babaji area of Helmand Province on Monday morning. He was identified as a soldier from the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
“It is my sad duty to confirm that a soldier from 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards was killed this morning by an explosion in the Babaji area of Helmand Province,” said Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, a spokesman for the Task Force Helmand. ” He died doing his duty as a British soldier, among his fellow soldiers, and we will remember him.”
The next of kin of the soldier has been informed, the ministry said. Further details will be released after a 24-hour period of grace.
