THE UK MINISTRY of Defence has confirmed that it lost one of its soldiers in an “insider attack” in Afghanistan yesterday.
The soldier from the 1st Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland was shot dead at Forward Operating Base Shawqat in the Nad ‘Ali district of the Helmand province.
Spokesman Laurence Roche said, “I am very sorry to report the death of a soldier…who was shot by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform at his base.”
This is incredibly sad news for the battalion and everyone serving in Task Force Helamnd. As we mark remembrance this weekend, our thoughts now turn to the soldier’s family and friends whose loss is so much greater than ours.
The soldier’s family have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details, including the deceased’s name, are released.
Since the beginning of operations in Afghanistan, just under 450 members of the UK military have been killed in action. It is understood the shooter was an Afghan soldier who was training with British forces. The number of soldiers killed by Afghan trainees has increased year-on-year since 2001.
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