UK soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the death of the soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, but did not give further details.

Next of kin have been informed of the death, which raises the toll of British dead to 86 since October 2001.

Twelve insurgents and two children have also died in the battle in Musa Qala, the Afghan defence ministry says.

Iconic importance

British and Afghan ground forces have taken positions south, west and east of the town, while US troops were dropped from helicopters and fought on foot through the night.

The British and Afghan troops exchanged intense gunfire with Taleban fighters defending their position in the town - the only major town they hold.

The twelve Taleban were killed during fighting, while the two children were killed when security forces clashed with Taleban travelling in a convoy with civilians, a spokesman for the Afghan defence ministry said.

The coalition has denied Taleban claims that several armoured vehicles had been destroyed.

Defence Minister Des Browne, who is in Kabul, said Musa Qala had taken on iconic importance.

The Taleban took it over in February, in contravention of a deal brokered with tribal elders when British troops withdrew.

It has since become the main centre of drugs trading in Afghanistan.

Controversial deal

The assault is the first major operation where the new Afghan army is playing a leading role.

Mr Browne said Afghan forces would lead the re-taking of the town, and would also take the lead in holding it afterwards.

The agreement brokered over Musa Qala when British forces left was highly controversial.

It was portrayed at the time as a "win-win" situation, with the Taleban and British pull-out supposed to leave local forces to assume local government.

British officers maintained it was a redeployment rather than a withdrawal - freeing them up to take on Taleban forces in other parts of Helmand.

But the Taleban contravened the deal and took over Musa Qala.

The latest British death comes days after Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, was killed in an explosion while on patrol in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.

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