A British soldier has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The soldier from the Parachute Regiment died as a result of a suspected improvised explosive device while on joint foot patrol about 1km south of Sangin, in central Helmand province, on Tuesday afternoon.
The MoD confirmed the soldier's next of kin have been informed.
The latest casualty is the third British fatality in the last seven days and brings the total number of military personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 243.
Earlier this week, the MoD confirmed the deaths of L/Cpl Michael Pritchard, 22, a Royal Military policeman who died near Sangin on Sunday and an as-yet-unnamed soldier from the 3rd Battalion the Rifles.
Investigations have since been launched into whether friendly fire was the cause of death in both cases.
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