Soldier death 'result of friendly fire'

The serviceman, from 36 Engineer Regiment, was serving with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device taskforce when he died in the Sangin area of Helmand.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the death was being investigated as a "suspected friendly fire incident".

He said: "Initial reports suggest that a smokescreen was requested to enable the movement of elements of 36 Engineer Regiment who were operating on the ground in the Sangin area.

"As this was being undertaken, it is believed that one of the smoke shells may have fallen short of its intended target.

"The investigation is now ongoing to determine the facts and no further comment will be made at this time."

Speaking after the incident, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lt Col James Carr-Smith, said of the serviceman

killed: "He was part of a search team that was involved in an operation to provide security in Sangin District when, tragically, he was killed in an explosion.

"He died seeking to improve the lives of local Afghans.

"He will be sorely missed by his many friends. His sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will remember him."

The British death toll in the Afghan campaign since 2001 now stands at 325.

The latest investigation comes after details of several friendly fire incidents in Afghanistan were published on whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

The military logs give a day-by-day account of Nato forces' operations from January 2004 to December 2009.

They include details about

the extent of Afghan civilian casualties, a covert special

forces unit targeting insurgent leaders, and friendly fire

deaths that have plagued the campaign.

There are also concerns that Pakistani intelligence could be supporting the Taliban.

The records log a total of 144 incidents involving Afghan civilian casualties, in which 195 non-combatants died and 174 were injured,

These include at least 21 occasions on which British troops allegedly shot or bombed Afghan civilians during the conflict, leading to the deaths of at least 26 people, among them 16 children.