Two Yorkshire Regiment soldiers killed in Afghanistan

The pair, serving as part of the 1 Coldstream Guards Battle Group, died after two explosions near Malgir, this morning, the Ministry of Defence said. Next of kin have been informed.

The incident brought the tally of British military deaths since the Afghan campaign started in 2001 to 253 - just two short of the number who died during the Falklands War in 1982.

Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is with deep sadness I must inform you that IEDs claimed the lives of two British soldiers this morning in the Malgir area of Central Helmand, an area between Babaji and Gereshk.

"The soldiers were on a foot patrol when the explosions happened. Two of our comrades, taken from us in the course of their duty, whose resolute bravery and sacrifice we will remember."

Next of kin have been informed, the MoD said.

The death toll nears the grim landmark amid recent warnings there will be "many more" casualties in Afghanistan in 2010.

Nato's civilian representative in the country, Mark Sedwill, warned of an "awful lot of violence" as the coalition's military and political strategy is beefed up.

And he said soldiers would be needed in a war-fighting role for up to five more years and could be training Afghan forces for "a decade or more".

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set a deadline of the middle of next year for "turning the tide" against the Taliban - suggesting that could be when some British troops return home.