LONDON — Two more British soldiers have died in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence here said today, as Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid a surprise visit to the restive nation.

One soldier died today of wounds from small arms fire that took place the day before as he patrolled near Sangin, in Helmand Province, the MoD said in a statement.

“He was on a deliberate operation against insurgents to the south of Sangin District Centre, near Patrol Base Suffolk, when he was shot,” said Task Force Helmand spokesman Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield.

“He died boldly taking the fight to the enemy and will not be forgotten,” he added.

The second soldier died yesterday in an explosion in the same region, Wakefield said. Both incidents were not connected to the ongoing Operation Mushtarak to crush the Taliban insurgency, the ministry added.

Next of kin have been informed in both cases. The announcements come as Brown said the major anti- Taliban push in southern Afghanistan offered a “beacon of hope,” during a lightening, eight-hour visit to troops in Helmand province.

The latest deaths brings to 270 the number of British troops killed since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

Britain has around 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, largely battling Taliban militants in Helmand.
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