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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| 'Friendly fire' probe into deaths | 'Friendly fire' probe into deaths |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| An investigation has been launched into whether two British servicemen killed in Afghanistan died as a result of "friendly fire". | An investigation has been launched into whether two British servicemen killed in Afghanistan died as a result of "friendly fire". |
| The Ministry of Defence confirmed the probe after the men were named as Capt Tom Sawyer, 26, of the Royal Artillery, and Marine Cpl Danny Winter, 28. | The Ministry of Defence confirmed the probe after the men were named as Capt Tom Sawyer, 26, of the Royal Artillery, and Marine Cpl Danny Winter, 28. |
| They died in an explosion during an operation against enemy forces in central Helmand province on Wednesday. | They died in an explosion during an operation against enemy forces in central Helmand province on Wednesday. |
| The MoD said their mission was to clear compounds in a Taleban stronghold. | The MoD said their mission was to clear compounds in a Taleban stronghold. |
| Capt Sawyer and Cpl Winter were taking part in a joint operation with a Danish battle group and the Afghan National Army, north east of the town of Gereshk. Two other members of their patrol were injured in the blast. | Capt Sawyer and Cpl Winter were taking part in a joint operation with a Danish battle group and the Afghan National Army, north east of the town of Gereshk. Two other members of their patrol were injured in the blast. |
| The deaths took the number of British forces to die since the start of operations in October 2001 to 141. | The deaths took the number of British forces to die since the start of operations in October 2001 to 141. |
| 'High threat area' | |
| In a statement on Friday, the MoD confirmed that a military police investigation was under way into "a suspected friendly fire incident". | |
| This is "normal procedure when a fatality occurs," it said. | |
| "This investigation will take time to conclude since it involves talking to those involved, some of whom are injured, and needs to consider a multitude of technical issues," the statement continued. Our forces were working in a challenging environment under constant threat from enemy fire Ministry of Defence UK troops killed in Helmand named | |
| "This also involves visiting the scene of the incident, which due to bad weather and the fact that it is in a high threat area, will inevitably take time. | |
| "No further information will be released until the full investigation is completed." | "No further information will be released until the full investigation is completed." |
| The MoD said that prior to the incident, Nato forces were operating "under cover of darkness and in an area made up of a complex web of buildings, walls, irrigation ditches and farmland". | |
| They "carried out a heavy bombardment of an enemy position using a variety of weapons". | |
| "Such is the nature of such operations our forces were working in a challenging environment under constant threat from enemy fire," the ministry added. | |
| Capt Sawyer, from Hertfordshire, had been married for less than a year. His family paid tribute to him, calling him "loyal, loud and loving". | Capt Sawyer, from Hertfordshire, had been married for less than a year. His family paid tribute to him, calling him "loyal, loud and loving". |
| Cpl Winter, who was from Stockport, was his company's mortar expert and had previously served in Northern Ireland and Iraq. His commanding officer said he was "brave, committed and extremely determined". | Cpl Winter, who was from Stockport, was his company's mortar expert and had previously served in Northern Ireland and Iraq. His commanding officer said he was "brave, committed and extremely determined". |
| Defence Secretary John Hutton said Britain owed both men "a debt". | Defence Secretary John Hutton said Britain owed both men "a debt". |
| "Both died doing jobs they loved and for a cause vitally important to their country." | "Both died doing jobs they loved and for a cause vitally important to their country." |