A bomb disposal expert was killed in southern Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device went off as he was clearing a road, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldier, part of a specialist group tasked with tackling the threat from IEDs laid by Taliban insurgents, was caught in the blast on Tuesday in Lashkar Gah district, in troubled Helmand Province. His next of kin had been informed.

The death of the soldier, from 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, brings to 348 the number of British troops killed since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

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