A British soldier from 3rd Battalion The Rifles has been killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
The soldier, who was serving with 3 Rifles Battle Group, died as a result of a blast in an area about half a mile to the east of Sangin, in Helmand Province.
The death was not connected to Operation Moshtarak, the recent drive against the Taliban, an MoD spokesman said. Next of kin have been informed.
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, the spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is my sad duty to inform you that a British soldier has been killed by an explosion about one kilometre east of the Sangin District Centre bazaar.
"He was part of a patrol which had just completed providing protection for soldiers from the counter-IED (improvised explosive device) Task Force to deal with an unexploded insurgent bomb, an operation to protect and save lives.
"The bomb had been successfully dealt with and the 3 Rifles soldiers had continued on their foot patrol when a suicide bomber in a car detonated himself near them.
"We have lost another of our fellow soldiers, one of our comrades, whose indefatigable courage in the face of danger day after day will not be forgotten."
The death comes just days after the Prince of Wales made a surprise two-day visit to British troops on the front line in Afghanistan.
Charles, a Commander in Chief of 10 regiments, spent the night with soldiers at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.
