Three Danish soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Three Danish soldiers serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan have been killed and one was injured when their armoured vehicle drove over a roadside bomb.

The deaths bring to 21 the number of Danish troops killed in the country since Copenhagen deployed soldiers there as part of the International Security Assistance Force in 2001. The blast occurred near the town of Gereshk. Denmark currently has 700 troops in Afghanistan, most of whom are stationed in Helmand province under British command. The news came as US Defence Secretary Robert Gates ordered the deployment of an additional combat aviation brigade to Afghanistan early next year. 2800 soldiers equipped with Apache and Black Hawk attack helicopters as well as Chinook transport helicopters will join the battle against the Taliban insurgency next spring. The loss of the three Danish soldiers comes just two weeks after two other Danish troops were killed in clashes with enemy forces near Gereshk.

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