Explosion kills soldier

LONDON - A British soldier has been killed and another has been injured in an explosion in southern Afghanistan's embattled Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence said.

The two were in a logistics convoy 19 kilometres north east of the town of Gereshk when the explosion happened on Monday afternoon.

Both were evacuated by helicopter to Camp Bastion where the very seriously injured soldier from 36 Royal Engineer Regiment was pronounced dead on arrival.

The injuries to the other soldier are not life threatening, the ministry said.

The death brings to 79 the number of British soldiers or Ministry of Defence civilians killed in Afghanistan since the US-led overthrow of the Taleban government in November 2001.

- REUTERS