Marine killed by Taliban explosion

The serviceman, from 40 Commando, died while on a foot patrol with Afghan soldiers in Sangin in Helmand Province. His family have been informed.

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "He died in the course of his duty seeking to improve the lives of the people of Sangin. His courage in the face of danger will not be forgotten.

"He will be greatly missed and we will always remember him."

Sangin has been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting UK troops have endured since the Second World War, leading to a high toll of casualties.

Commanders have admitted it is "the most challenging area" in which British forces are operating in Afghanistan.

It is particularly dangerous because it contains a patchwork of rival tribes and is a major centre of opium-growing.

The number of British troops who have died since the mission in Afghanistan began in 2001 now stands at 290.

Meanwhile, Taliban suicide attackers struck Afghanistan's national peace conference as it opened yesterday but no delegates were hurt and the gathering went ahead as planned.

The raid started minutes after President Hamid Karzai began his opening address to 1,600 dignitaries, appealing for Taliban members to stop fighting for the sake of the country.

The Taliban, which had earlier threatened to kill anyone who took part, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The conference, known as a peace jirga, is aimed at bolstering Mr Karzai politically by endorsing his strategy of offering incentives to individual Taliban fighters and reaching out to the insurgent leadership, despite scepticism in the West.

But the attack underscored the weak grip of Mr Karzai's government in the face of the Taliban insurgency, which has grown in strength despite record numbers of Western troops.

Mr Karzai said years of violence and infighting had caused widespread suffering that had driven ordinary Afghans to join the Taliban out of fear.