NEWS IN BRIEF
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EUROPE
16 Sep 09. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. UK deaths since the start of Operations in October 2001 have risen to 216, of whom 185 were killed as a result of hostile action. As confirmed by the MoD (16 Sep 09), the most recent fatalities are:-
* A Kingsman (i.e. Private) from 2nd Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment was killed on 13 Sep 09 when he was shot in the Babaji District.
* A Trooper (i.e. Private) from 2nd Royal Tank Regiment died on 16 Sep 09 as a result of wounds sustained in North West Helmand on 12 Sep 09.
* A Serjeant from 2nd Bn The Rifles was killed on 16 Sep 09 as a result of an explosion in the Gereshk District. [The alternative spelling of Sergeant is peculiar to The Rifles.]
From 1 Jan 06 to 31 Aug 09, 850 UK personnel were categorised as Wounded in Action and 2,531 were aeromedically evacuated. (MoD, 18 Sep 09.) From 16 to 31 Aug 09 the figures were 28 and 62.
The total number of fatalities for all Coalition Forces, as at 16 Sep 09, is shown on page 3 at Table 1.
A (female) MoD Police Officer has organised small arms and other training for 13 female Afghan National Police members. (MoD, 14 Sep 09.)
As at 1 Aug 09, 71,560 members of the UK Armed Forces had deployed to Afghanistan. (Ministerial Answer (MA), 14 Sep 09.)
There are over 140 UK, Danish and Estonian civilian and military staff working for the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team. (MA, 14 Sep 09.)
The MoD leases “hundreds of hours” each month from commercial helicopter operators for routine supplies. (MA, 14 Sep 09.)
Commanders on the ground have requested battle casualty replacements….around 150 have deployed as replacements since 27 Jul 09, mostly from 3rd Bn The Yorkshire Regiment. (Defence Secretary, 16 Sep 09.)
The MoD drew attention to the TV documentary ‘Wounded’ which is to be screened by BBC 1 on Wed 23 Sep 09. (MoD, 18 Sep 09.)
Comment: One of the Afghan National Policewomen mentioned above was credited with stopping two suicide bombers from detonating devices. On a separate occasion the same woman karate-kicked a remote control from the hands of a terrorist intent on detonating a device in Lashkar Gah market.
TABLE 1: ISAF FATALITIES AS AT 16 SEP 09
United States 833
Estonia 6
United Kingdom 214
Norway 4
Canada 130
Czech Republic 3
Germany 33
Latvia 3
France 31
Hungary 2
Spain 25
Portugal 2
Denmark 24
Sweden 2
Netherlands 21
Turkey 2
Italy 15
Belgium 1
Poland 13
Finland 1
Australia 11
Korea (RoK) 1
Romania 11
Lithuania 1
TOTAL
1,389
(Source: www.icasualties.org) (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/35, 21 Sep 09)
23 Sep 09. Britain is prepared to scale back its nuclear capability as part of global disarmament efforts, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said September 23 ahead of an address to the U.N. General Assembly. He told BBC radio that Britain was prepared to reduce the number of submarines that can launch nuclear missiles, but said there were no plans to cut the number of warheads. “Just as America and Russia are making those reductions, we are prepared to consi