First British woman killed in Afghanistan as four soldiers die in secret SAS mission



The first British woman was killed in action in Afghanistan in a blast that also claimed the lives of three other soldiers.



They were taking part in an operation east of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province when their vehicle was caught in an explosion at about 3.40pm local time yesterday.



Three of the soldiers were killed in the blast, while the fourth was pronounced dead on arrival at Camp Bastion, the Ministry of Defence said.

They are reported to have been travelling in a snatch Land Rover, which has been criticised for not offering enough protection against roadside devices.



At risk: British soldiers with the International Security Assistance Force are seen at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city of Kandarhar today

It is understood that the three men were special forces reservists from the 23rd Special Air Service Regiment, which is one of two Territorial Army SAS units. The woman is believed to have been part of the Army's Intelligence Corps.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown expressed his 'deepest condolences' to the families of the four soldiers.



He said: 'They were in the most dangerous of jobs in the most difficult of circumstances.



'I salute not just their bravery, dedication and professionalism but that of all our armed forces. Our troops are the best in the world and fighting for the noblest of causes.'



A fifth soldier wounded in the attack is said to be in a stable condition.

Nine British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in nine days, marking a sharp upturn in violence against troops in the troubled country.



Five men from 2 Para, based in Colchester, Essex, died in two separate incidents last week.

Controversial: Snatch Land Rovers are vulnerable to roadside bombs

By contrast, the total death toll for British forces between January and May was 11.



Yesterday's incident was the biggest single loss of life for British troops since September 2006, when 14 personnel were killed when an RAF Nimrod came down near Kandahar.



The deaths take the number of British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 106.

Military leaders and analysts had suggested the tide could be turning in the battle against the Taliban before the recent deaths.



Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, the commander of British forces in Helmand, claimed that the fight against insurgents was at a 'tipping point'.

He said: 'The Taliban are much weaker. The tide is clearly ebbing, not flowing, for them. Their chain of command is disrupted and they are short of weapons and ammunition.'

Defence Secretary Des Browne announced on Monday that hundreds more British personnel would be deployed to Afghanistan, taking troop numbers to a record high of 8,030 by next spring.



Foreign Secretary David Miliband today praised the 'extraordinary professionalism, bravery and intelligence' of Britain's armed forces.



He said: 'We are in Afghanistan, where there are soldiers, diplomats or aid workers, with a very clear mission to make sure that Afghanistan has its own institution and its own security forces that ensure never again does it become a base for al Qaeda.

'So we are there with a very clear national interest.'

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Private Charles David Murray (left), Private Nathan Cuthbertson (centre) and Private Daniel Gamble of 2nd Battalion, were among five paratropers killed in Afghanistan last week

Brigadier General Carlos Branco, a spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, said: 'Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the family and friends of the brave soldiers who were killed today.

'These soldiers died and were wounded trying to help bring peace and security for the Afghan people.'

News of the four deaths came as Afghan and Canadian troops launched an operation to drive Taliban militants out of villages in southern Afghanistan.



Afghan officials said yesterday that 300 to 400 insurgents were operating in the Arghandab region to the north west of Kandahar city.



Nato spokesman Mark Laity said troops exchanged fire with militants during 'a few minor contacts' early today but there were no immediate reports of casualties.



The Taliban launched their attack on Arghandab three days after freeing 400 of their fighters from Sarposa Prison in Kandahar in a co-ordinated raid.

Battle lines: Afghan National Army reinforcement troops prepare to board a plane as they fly to Kandahar

Mr Browne denied claims that British troops in Afghanistan could start 'losing heart' after the recent surge in casualties.

He said: 'The military are the people who most understand how important this job is. They have a tremendous and appropriate sense of pride in what they are doing.

'The last 10 days have been extraordinarily difficult for troops, for the families and for those who support them. We have now lost nine soldiers in 10 days and every single one of those losses is a tragedy. I cannot imagine the terrible grief they are going through.'

Sending his condolences to the family, he added: 'This isn't a discretionary task. When the world met in Paris a few days ago there were 80 countries represented. They are all involved in one way or another because we cannot allow this country to become a playground for terrorists again.

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Ready for action: Soldiers from the Afghan army prepare to battle Taliban

Flying squad: Afghan National Army reinforcement troops board a plane as they prepare to fly to Kandahar

He added: 'I fully understand that people react in an entirely appropriate and human way to casualties and I'm no different than anyone else. I have the same response to that.'

A leading security expert claimed more British troops are being killed in Afghanistan because forces 'failed to get the job done' before the attacks on Iraq.

Paul Rogers, author of a series of books on the war on terror, claimed the Taliban are getting stronger than they have been since the war began.



He claimed the only end to violence would be to open negotiations with less radical members of the militant group.



'That would be downright impossible under a (George) Bush administration,' he added.

Professor Rogers, from the University of Bradford, said the Taliban are resurgent because Europe and the United States have been distracted by Iraq.



He said: 'Clearly there has been a real upsurge recently. But the worst thing of all is that this was anticipated.



'The Taliban are stronger than they have been for years - borders with western Pakistan are very loose, they have more money and, most importantly, they have taken full advantage while US and European forces have been distracted by Iraq.



'For the first time in five or six years there are more coalition forces being killed in Afghanistan than Iraq.



'This is simply because the job did not get done. Afghanistan did not get the help it needed five or six years ago and then the US and Britain took their eyes off the ball.'



He added: 'Almost all colonial wars have only been ended through compromise - and Afghanistan will prove no different.



'I don't believe that will ever happen under a Bush government which sees only military action as the answer. I can only see more and more deaths in the short term.'