SOLDIER KILLED AS 500 MORE GO TO HELMAND

The serviceman, from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, died after he was hurt in an explosion in Helmand’s Babaji district.

He was the 99th member of British forces to die in operations there this year and the 236th since the mission began in October 2001.

Mr Brown told the House of Commons that 500 troops from the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh would depart in early December, taking Britain’s total to 10,000.

He broke with normal practice by revealing that 500 Special Forces troops are also involved.

President Obama is expected to announce tomorrow that he will send 35,000 more US troops to Afghanistan.