Two more British soldiers die in Afghan offensive

THE Prince of Wales makes a traditional greeting as he meets wives of Gurkha soldiers attached to the Mercian Regiment during his visit to Catterick Garrison yesterday.

Prince Charles, the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, was in Yorkshire ahead of the troops' deployment to Afghanistan next month. His visit came as the Ministry of Defence revealed the deaths of two more British soldiers in the country.

The Prince, dressed in fatigues, visited the regiment along with the Queen's Dragoon Guards and 9 Army Air Corps during which he presented a soldier with a bravery award.

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Sergeant Luke Cunningham, 29, received a Certificate of Commendation after coming to the aid of a Gurkha platoon in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, in March 2009.

Ministry officials last night confirmed the deaths of two British soldiers killed while taking part in a major offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.

A soldier, from 1st Battalion Scots Guards, part of the 1 Grenadier Guards Battle Group, was shot while fighting rebels in the Nad-e-Ali area of central Helmand. Earlier, a soldier from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards died in an explosion in the Babaji area.

The families of both soldiers have been informed.

Three British soldiers have now died during Operation Moshtarak – a massive joint UK, US and Afghan assault on insurgent strongholds.

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Operation Moshtarak, which means "together" in the Dari language, involves about 15,000 Nato and Afghan troops.

UK forces are concentrating their efforts on Nad-e-Ali in Helmand, with US Marines fighting to take the nearby town of Marjah from the Taliban.