'Friendly fire' killed Brit soldier

A British soldier has been killed by 'friendly fire', the MoD said
12 April 2012

A British soldier killed in an explosion in Afghanistan is believed to have died as a result of "friendly fire", the Ministry of Defence has said.

The serviceman, from 36 Engineer Regiment, was serving with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device taskforce when he died in a blast in the Sangin area of Helmand on Monday.

An MoD spokesman said the death was being investigated as a "suspected friendly fire incident".

He said: "Initial reports suggest that a smokescreen was requested to enable the movement of elements of 36 Engineer Regiment who were operating on the ground in the Sangin area.

"As this was being undertaken, it is believed that one of the smoke shells may have fallen short of its intended target.

"The investigation is now ongoing to determine the facts and no further comment will be made at this time."

The latest investigation comes after details of several friendly fire incidents in Afghanistan were published on whistleblowing website WikiLeaks. The military logs give a day-by-day account of Nato forces' operations from January 2004 to December 2009. They include details about the extent of Afghan civilian casualties, a covert special forces unit targeting insurgent leaders, and friendly fire deaths that have plagued the campaign.

Speaking after the incident, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, said of the serviceman killed: "He was part of a search team that was involved in an operation to provide security in Sangin District when, tragically, he was killed in an explosion.

"He died seeking to improve the lives of local Afghans. He will be sorely missed by his many friends. His sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will remember him."

The British death toll in the Afghan campaign since 2001 now stands at 325.

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