UK soldier from 3 Rifles killed in Afghanistan blast

The MoD said the death was not connected to Operation Moshtarak

A British soldier has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

The soldier was from A Company, 3rd Battalion The Rifles, serving as part of the 3 Rifles Battle Group.

The explosion happened in an area 3km (1.9 miles) south of Sangin in Helmand province on Monday morning.

Next-of-kin have been informed, the MoD said. The number of British military personnel killed during operations in Afghanistan since 2001 is now 276.

The latest incident was not connected to Operation Moshtarak, a major offensive against the Taliban involving 15,000 Nato and Afghan forces, including 4,000 British personnel.

The spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lt Col David Wakefield, said the soldier was on a foot patrol crossing a bridge when he was killed by a makeshift bomb.

Col Wakefield said: "His bravery and selfless commitment to his comrades and to this fight will not be forgotten."

On Tuesday, the bodies of two soldiers, L/Cpl Scott Hardy and Pte James Grigg, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, are due to be returned to the UK.

The soldiers were killed last Tuesday when a bomb exploded while they were taking part in an operation north of Musa Qala.