Four UK troops killed in accident

Four British soldiers have been killed in a vehicle accident in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday.

The troops died on Wednesday evening near Gereshk, Helmand Province.

Task Force Helmand spokesman Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith said: "It is with great sadness I must inform you that three soldiers from 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and one soldier from 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (attached to 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment) were killed last night in northern Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand Province.

"They were part of a team that was travelling to assist in an incident at a nearby checkpoint when they were killed in a vehicle incident.

"They will be sorely missed and their actions will not be forgotten. We will remember them."

The soldiers, part of a police advisory team, were travelling in a Ridgeback armoured vehicle which rolled off the road and ended up under water.

Enemy action is not thought to have been involved, the Ministry of Defence said.

The deaths took the number of UK troops who have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 to 307. This includes 18 so far this month, of whom nine died in the past seven days alone.