British soldier killed in southern Afghanistan

A British soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today. The serviceman, from 4th Regiment the Royal Artillery, died after being shot in a fight with insurgents in the Nahr-e Saraj area of Helmand province this morning. His family has been informed. The Ministry of Defence said the soldier was conducting a joint foot patrol with the Afghan national army when he was shot. "It is with great sadness I must inform you that a soldier from 4th Regiment the Royal Artillery, part of 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles Battle Group, was killed this morning in Nahr-e Saraj (South)," Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said. "He was conducting a joint foot patrol with the Afghan national army when he was killed by small arms fire. He died doing his duty, alongside his mates, whilst seeking to reassure the local population and counter insurgent intimidation." The death took the number of British troops killed in operations in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 to 287.