Three Romanian soldiers injured in Afghanistan.

[Kev in Deva]

Three Romanian soldiers injured in Afghanistan.

http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=de...d=20080313-8449

published in issue 4140 page 5 at 2008-03-13

During a patrol mission along the Qalat-Kandahar motorway, their armoured amphibious personnel carrier drove over an improvised explosive device.

published in issue 4140 page 5 at 2008-03-13.

The soldiers are with the ?Sf. Andrei? Battalion 300 Infantry deployed to Qalat, Zabul Province, in South Afghanistan, for the second time last December. They were members of the crew of the first carrier that was opening a convoy of four armoured amphibious personnel carriers. The injured soldiers were rushed to hospital in Kandahar.

Preliminary reports suggest that corporals Gheorghe Ionel Vasluianu and Dan Gheorghe Hamza suffered face contusions and bruises. The third injured soldier, Constantin Mihai Sbughea, suffered a fracture at his left leg and will most likely be taken to the hospital of the military base at Ramstein, Germany.

?Sf. Andrei? Battalion 300 Infantry Spokesperson, Major Corneliu Pavel, stated, according to Rompres, that two of the victims had already been discharged from hospital and would continue their mission. Hamza is at his second mission to Afghanistan, and the other two at their first. All three are from Galati and they are married. The circumstances of the incident are now being investigated by a commission headed by the commander of the battalion, according to a press release of the Ministry of Defence.

Their families have been notified and the Ministry keeps in touch with them. Romania was among the first countries that sent troops to Afghanistan back in 2002. There are over 600 Romanian troops deployed to Afghanistan. A small share of those takes part in the Enduring Freedom operation. The rest are with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The Romanian troops are mainly deployed in the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan, such as Kandahar, Kabul and Mazr e Sharif. Before this latest incident occurring yesterday, four had died and 12 had been injured. Before starting the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu inquired about the condition of the three Romanians and asked Defence Minister Teodor Melescanu to keep him informed on any developments.

by Nadia Dincovici.

- - - - - END OF ARTICLE - - - - -

Kevin in Deva.