Marines killed by IED

A spokesman from the MoD said the Marines were on patrol in the Loy Mandeh area when they were killed. Their next of kin have been informed.

Major Rolf Kurth, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of two Royal Marines from 42 Commando Royal Marines in the Loy Mandeh area of the Nad-e Ali District of Helmand Province.

"The two Royal Marines were on patrol, disrupting insurgent activity when they were killed by an explosion caused by an IED. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends in their time of grief."

The deaths take the number of UK military personnel who have died since Afghan operations began in 2001 to 368.

Meanwhile, the police commander for northern Afghanistan has been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the Takhar province governor's office, officials announced.

General Mohammad Daud Daud was one of at least seven people killed in the attack. Western and Afghan troops are among "a significant number of casualties", a Nato spokesman said. Gen Daud was former military commander of the Northern Alliance, the Afghan forces who fought the Taliban.

Afghanistan has seen a series of attacks in recent months by militants on police and military targets, but the latest attack is seen as significant because it struck an area in the north of the country, which is seen as relatively secure.