A New Zealand soldier has been killed in an attack while on patrol in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province, the Defence Force announced Wednesday. Two other New Zealanders and a local interpreter were seriously wounded, but their injuries are not life-threatening, dpa quoted the Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, as telling a news conference in Wellington. It was New Zealand's first death in Afghanistan since a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) of about 140 went to Bamiyan in August 2003. New Zealand also has 80 special force soldiers in Kabul. Mateparae said the casualties were caused when an improvised explosive device was detonated under a routine three-vehicle New Zealand patrol and it was attacked with rocket propelled grenades from two positions. Prime Minister John Key, who is in Vanuatu for a regional meeting of Pacific leaders, issued a statement saying, "This is New Zealand's first combat loss in Afghanistan and reinforces the danger faced daily by our forces as they work tirelessly to restore stability to the province."
