Another soldier has died in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said Friday, following a surge in killings there which has piled pressure on the government over military resources, AFP reported.
The soldier, from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was killed in an explosion Thursday while on a foot patrol near Gereshk in the volatile southern Helmand province, it said.
"It is with extreme sadness that I must report the death of a brave soldier. He laid down his life for his country and for the good people of Afghanistan," said Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand.
The death brought to 16 the number of fatalities this month alone.
The head of the army, General Richard Dannatt, added to pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Friday by calling for more troops and equipment.