British soldiers, including Gurkha, killed in Afghanistan

British soldiers, including Gurkha, killed in Afghanistan

KATHMANDU: A British Gurkha soldier deployed in Afghanistan died on Tuesday morning, apparently on an attack by a renegade member of the Afghan security forces. Two other British soldiers were also killed in the incident.

The victims were serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Helmand province.

According to the British Embassy in Kathmandu, Afghan President Karzai has apologised over the incident on behalf of the Afghan government.

UK’s Ministry of Defence said the three soldiers serving in Nahr-e Saraj were killed in a suspected premeditated attack by a member of the Afghan National Army, using a combination of weapons this morning.

"We believe these were the actions of a lone individual who has betrayed his ISAF and Afghan comrades,” a British Army spokesman said, informing that the whereabouts of the renegade are currently unknown.

"Our ongoing, partnered investigation will seek to determine how this event could have occurred and we will prosecute those responsible."
According to reports, the victims were patrolling a checkpoint in Nahr-e Sarai this morning when the assailant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at them.

The Army official said that this sad loss strengthens the British Army’s resolve to work closely with the Afghan forces in order to stabilise Afghanistan and strengthen the Afghan government.

The details about the Gurkha soldier, a Nepali national, have not been mentioned.

However, the Embassy said that the next of kin have yet to be informed.