KABUL (PAN): A British soldier was killed in a bomb blast in southern Helmand province, Britains defence ministry announced on Tuesday, bringing to 400 the number of international forces killed this year in Afghanistan.

The soldier was killed in Sangin district, where the British army has lost 100 soldiers over the past eight years. The US is expected to take over from Britain in the coming months.

Britain has 10,000 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, the second highest contributing force after the US, and has lost 324 servicemen and women since the start of the war in late 2001.

Of the 400 foreign soldiers killed this year, 260 were American, 100 British and 60 of other nationalities.

am /cas