A British Gurkha soldier has been killed in Taliban attack in the Afghan province of Helmand.
Rifleman Yubraj Rai
Rifleman Yubraj Rai, 28, of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, died from wounds sustained during an operation south of Musa Qala in the southern province of Helmand on November 4. He is the 122nd British soldier and the first Gurkha killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led invasion to oust the Taliban government.
“It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Rifleman Yubaraj Rai, of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles,” British Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Thursday, adding, “While working alongside a fellow Gurkha, Rifleman Rai received a gunshot wound from enemy fire. He received medical treatment at the scene but died a short time later from his wounds.”
Rai was taking part in a joint operation by NATO and Afghan troops against enemy forces to the south of Musa Qala.
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Darby, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Gurkha Rifles, said, “Yubraj Rai was an extraordinary character and a hard professional soldier with a proven operational record. Having served his time as a driving force in 5 Platoon, he moved to a supporting role in Musa Qala, but it was typical of the man that he volunteered for a place on the operation in Dagyan when another member of his Company fell ill, and a measure of his professionalism that he did it so seamlessly.”
Likewise, Paula Rowe, spokeswoman for Task Force Helmand told AFP, “The death of this soldier has left us all deeply saddened.” “Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things to go through, and the thoughts of everyone in Task Force Helmand are with this soldier’s family, friends and comrades at this very difficult time,” she added.
Around 3,500 Gurkhas from Nepal currently serve in the British Army, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some 200,000 fought in World War I and World War II and more than 45,000 in total have died serving Britain. nepalnews.com mk Nov 06 08