Land Mine Kills Australian Soldier
An Australian soldier fighting with the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan was killed in a land mine explosion Saturday, the government said Sunday, announcing the country’s first fatality in the war against terrorism.
The soldier, who was not identified but was a member of the Special Air Service Regiment, died in southern Afghanistan late Saturday of wounds received from what was believed to be an anti-vehicle mine, Defense Minister Robert M. Hill said.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Peter Cosgrove later confirmed the statement. The soldier was one of five in a vehicle at the head of a convoy. The Defense Department said there were no reports of injuries to the other four soldiers.
Australia has committed 1,550 military personnel, including 150 commandos, to the war in Afghanistan.
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