I read today that the total number OK UK servicemen killed in Afghanistan has reached 100 when members of the 2^nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment were caught in a bombing in Helmand Province.

Three soldiers were killed and a fourth injured. When a single suicide bomber approached their patrol and detonated his bomb as they were returning on foot, through some villages, to their base.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Defence Secretary Des Browne have paid tribute to the courage of british troops and both have said that their thoughts are now with the families of these latest casualties. But surely now they should question the price they are asking our brave troops to pay.

UK forces have been deployed in Afghanistan since shortly after terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11^th 2001. Now there is a total of nearly 8000 UK service men and women in an area where, since 2006, the fighting has become so intense that it has been described as the fiercest since the Korean War.

More detailed reports can be found at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Also, a shout out goes to the people at Image Group for their swift provision of roller banners when needed.