MoD to name Afghan death soldier

The soldier, from The 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was caught in a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) on Friday morning.

He was on operation near Sangin, in northern Helmand province.

His death took the number of British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 168.

The incident came just a day after another British soldier, from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed.

Private Robert McLaren, from Kintra, by Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull, died after an IED strike while on operation near Kandahar.

The 20-year-old was fresh out of infantry recruit training and had only been in active service with the regiment for four weeks.

Colleagues described how the "fearless" soldier was killed in action when - pinned down by rifle fire and with rockets exploding around him - he thrust forward to help his colleagues.

After several hours in close contact with insurgents, he pushed forward to gain a better position and help his fellow men, who were in danger.

Lieutenant Robert Colquhoun, Officer Commanding 2 Platoon, said: "No soldier has impressed me so much in such a short amount of time.