AFP
British Army soldier killed in Afghanistan was Fijian: ministry

Sat May 3, 5:16 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - A British soldier killed in an explosion in Afghanistan while serving with the NATO coalition was a Fijian national, the defence ministry in London said Saturday.

Trooper Ratu Babakobau, from the Household Cavalry Regiment, was killed after the vehicle he was travelling in hit a mine during a routine patrol near southern Helmand province's Naw Zad district on Friday.

Three other British soldiers and one Afghan national were also injured in the incident. Babakobau, 29, was pronounced dead on arrival at Britain's main Camp Bastion base.

The incident takes the number of British personnel to die in Afghanistan since the start of operations to oust the country's hardline former rulers the Taliban in 2001 to 95.

He was also the 48th international soldier to be killed in Afghanistan this year, most while fighting the Taliban.

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that Babakobau joined the British Army in 2004 and deployed to Afghanistan in April in his first overseas operation.

He is survived by his wife, Camari, and two sons, Ratu Seru, aged four, and Ratu Sakeasi Sucumailodoni Selamu, aged one.

His commanding officer led the many tributes to him, saying he was an "outstanding soldier who was destined for great things" in the regiment, which counts princes William and Harry among its members.

"His loss is an enormous tragedy to the Household Cavalry," said Lieutenant Colonel Harry Fullerton. "We have lost a top soldier and his family have lost a loving husband and father."

The princes said in a statement they were "deeply saddened" to hear of Babakobau's death and of those who were injured.

Defence Secretary Des Browne offered his condolences, praising the soldier's "valuable contribution to improving the lives of those less fortunate than himself."

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