Six UK soldiers feared dead in Afghanistan blast

Six soldiers are missing, believed killed, after an armoured vehicle was caught in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today.

The group - which included five soldiers from the 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment and one from the 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment - was on a mounted patrol when their Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle was struck.

If the servicemen are confirmed dead, it would take the total number of British forces personnel or MoD civilians who have died while serving in the war-torn region to more than 400 since the start of operations in October 2001.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “This tragic incident brings home to us the dangers that are faced on a daily basis by the men and women of our Armed Forces deployed in Afghanistan.

“My thoughts are with the families and friends of the six soldiers who are missing, believed killed and also with their colleagues, both in Afghanistan and the UK, whose brave work continues or is about to start.”