Marine killed in Afghanistan bomb blast

A British soldier was killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan yesterday, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The soldier, a member of the Royal Marines, was on patrol near Kajaki, a region of Helmand Province, when his vehicle was hit in a roadside explosion, the ministry said.

The death raises the number of British troops killed since the conflict began in late 2001 to at least 126, according to Ministry of Defence figures.

The Taliban have stepped up attacks against British and other foreign troops throughout Helmand in recent months, making the province one of the most unstable in Afghanistan.

The next of kin have been notified.