British dog handler killed in Afghanistan

LONDON (AFP) - A British army dog handler and his explosives sniffer dog have been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence in London said Friday.

The team died Thursday after their patrol came under fire in the Sangin area of Helmand Province. Six other soldiers were also injured, although not seriously.

The dog handler's death brought to 112 the number of British troops killed during operations in Afghanistan since 2001.