British soldier killed in Afghanistan

London – A British soldier has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, bringing Britain’s losses since the 2001 US-led invasion of the country to 231, the Ministry of Defence said Sunday.

"It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of a soldier from 2nd Battalion, The Rifles …," it said in a statement.

He was killed on Saturday afternoon by a blast near Sangin in central Helmand province, where most of Britain’s 9,000 troops in Afghanistan are fighting Taliban insurgents.

Five soldiers were killed last week when a rogue Afghan soldier attacked a checkpoint in Helmand, sparking fresh questions about their mission there amid declining public support for the war.

AFP/Expatica