Afghanistan roadside bomb kills three British soldiers

Three British soldiers have died in Afghanistan after their armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Helmand, the Ministry of Defence said. The soldiers were from the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Next of kin have been informed. Six other soldiers were also injured after the bomb blast on Tuesday. Prime Minister David Cameron said the country had paid a "very high price" for its work in Afghanistan. He added: "It is important work because it's vital that country doesn't again become a haven for terrorists, terrorists that can threaten us here in the UK. "But today our thoughts should be with the families and friends of those that have suffered." 'Great loss' The number of UK service personnel to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 is now 444, with the latest deaths bringing the total of British troops killed in Afghanistan this year to six. The soldiers were travelling in the heavily armoured Mastiff vehicle on a routine patrol in the district of Nahr-e Saraj when the blast happened. The MoD says the three soldiers were evacuated by air to the military hospital at Camp Bastion but died of their injuries. The spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Richard Morgan, said: "Their deaths come as a great loss to all those serving in Task Force Helmand. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to their family and friends at this difficult time." Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said the armed forces "deserve our deepest gratitude and respect for the job they do in some of the most difficult and trying circumstances imaginable". An MoD spokesman said the incident underlined the threats faced by British personnel as they continued to hand over security operations to their Afghan counterparts, ahead of UK combat operations concluding by the end of next year. It said security in Helmand was improving, with Afghan forces now responsible for the bulk of the province - but that the environment in which UK troops operated remained "risky and dangerous including the threat of improvised explosive devices and insurgent attack".Read More HERE   R.I.P.

Mastiff protects soldiers from roadside explosion in Helmand

A group of soldiers serving with 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in Afghanistan escaped completely unharmed after the armoured vehicle they were travelling in was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in August.
Sergeant Barry Quinn, who hails from Burnley, was driving the Mastiff  armoured transport vehicle carrying a group of soldiers when a roadside bomb, laid by insurgents trying to disrupt the work of the International Security Assistance Force, exploded. The heavily armoured Mastiff withstood the blast, protecting all its passengers, and was then able to continue on its journey without any further delay Sgt Quinn's role as a Mastiff Group Commander means he has a team of ten men and two to three Mastiffs to command in Helmand province. He said:


"I was going to pick up some people when my vehicle was hit. Initially I thought it was the rear of the vehicle as there was a cloud of dust. I went back to check on the guys and found another IED, which we marked to be dealt with later. Everyone was OK and the vehicle was still able to move, it just had a couple of popped tyres."




Sgt Quinn, who joined the Army as a 16-year-old, wasn't surprised about the Mastiff's ability to shield its passengers from danger:

NICE TRY TERRY BUT NO CIGAR!

Soldiers praise Mastiff after surviving two bomb blasts

It’s a tragedy we didn’t have these vehicles earlier and saved more precious British lives