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Special Forces member dies in Afghanistan blast

 

Rosa Silverman
Thursday 22 December 2011 13:29 EST
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A member of the Special Forces was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan today.

The Royal Marine was fatally wounded when the vehicle in which he was travelling was caught in a blast, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. His family have been told.

The incident happened south of the capital, Kabul. Most UK forces are based in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan.

It is understood the Marine was serving with the Special Forces but the MoD does not comment specifically on Special Forces deaths.

A spokeswoman said: "It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a Royal Marine was killed today, Thursday 22nd December, south of Kabul inAfghanistan.

"He was fatally wounded after the vehicle in which he was travelling was caught in an explosion."

A total of 392 British troops have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001.

Earlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron indicated he was planning further withdrawals of troops from the country in 2013 after the 500 due to be pulled out next year.

But he again refused to give an exact timescale for how Britain's deployment would be withdrawn ahead of his deadline for all combat troops to be out by the end of 2014.

PA

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