British soldier dies in Afghanistan blast

A soldier from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was killed in Afghanistan yesterday after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb, the Ministry of Defence said. Next of kin have been told.

The death was unrelated to the attack at Camp Bastion in which two US Marines were killed, the MoD stressed.

The Guardsman died when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Laurence Roche, said: "I am very sorry to announce that a soldier from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards died yesterday when the vehicle he was travelling in struck an improvised explosive device.

"The thoughts of every one of us serving in Afghanistan are with his family, friends and fellow guardsmen at this time."

The death brings to 428 the number of members of UK forces to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

PA