Marines killed in Harry base attack

Sep 15 2012

Two US Marines have been killed and several more troops wounded in an attack on the Camp Bastion military compound in Afghanistan.

A US official said the attack at the base in Helmand province in the south of the country involved a range of weaponry, possibly including mortars, rockets or rocket-propelled grenades, as well as small arms fire.

Early indications were that it was on the north-east side of the base, which houses American forces in Camp Leatherneck.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman in London said: "We are aware of an incident that has taken place at Camp Bastion, which is currently being dealt with."

A spokesman for the Isaf coalition in Afghanistan said: "I can confirm there was an attack involving small arms fire."

The US official said the attack had killed two marines and wounded several troops. A number of aircraft at the base were hit by insurgent fire.

Prince Harry is currently based at Camp Bastion on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, which is due to last four months. He has been undergoing training to fly operations in Apache attack helicopters.

The 27-year-old Army captain arrived in the war-torn country last Friday, but will not have started his role yet as co-pilot gunner.

Camp Bastion is a huge base in the middle of the desert shared with US, Estonian, Danish and Afghan troops.

It is the logistics hub for operations in Helmand, with supply convoys and armoured patrols regularly leaving its heavily-defended gates, to support the military forward operating bases, patrol bases and checkpoints spread across Helmand province.