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London (AFP) June 29, 2010 Thousands of mourners lined the streets of a British market town Tuesday to pay their final respects to seven servicemen killed in Afghanistan, as their bodies were brought home. Families of the dead soldiers wept as hearses draped with the Union Jack flag passed through Wootton Bassett, in southwest England, after being repatriated to a nearby airbase, RAF Lyneham. The sight of fallen servicemen passing through the small town has become frequent as the British death toll in the bloody Afghan conflict mounts. But seven bodies being brought back at the same time is rare and left many overcome with emotion. "I'm here to pay respects to these young lads. We don't have to do it, but we want to do it," said Bill Baldam, 63, who served with the RAF fire service for 12 years. "It could be my son, it could be my brother." Relatives placed flowers on top of the hearses as they paused for a minute's silence next to the town's war memorial. The quiet was broken only by the sound of weeping and church bells ringing. Four of the soldiers -- Lance Corporal David Ramsden, Colour Sergeant Martyn Horton, Private Alex Isaac and Private Douglas Halliday -- were killed on June 23 in southern Helmand province when their vehicle rolled into a waterway. They had been part of a police advisory team travelling to attend an incident at a checkpoint. Sergeant Steven Darbyshire was killed in a firefight with insurgents in the Sangin district of Helmand on June 23. Lance Corporal Michael Taylor was killed in a firefight in Helmand in June 22. Marine Paul Warren was fatally injured in an explosion during an insurgent attack on June 21. Britain has around 9,500 servicemen in Afghanistan and is the second biggest contributor of troops to international forces after the United States. Most British soldiers are stationed in Helmand. A total of 309 British servicemen have been killed in Afghanistan since operations began there in 2001.
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US public support for Afghan war hinges on Kandahar: senatorWashington (AFP) June 28, 2010 A key senator on Monday said US public support for the Afghan war will likely hinge on the outcome of operations in Kandahar later this year, amid unease among Democrats in Congress. Backing among American voters for the war effort "will depend on this fall in Kandahar," Senator Carl Levin told defense reporters. "I would say in September and October, when we expect an acceleration of op ... read more |
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