Posted on 04/19/2007 10:19:37 AM PDT by Rikstir
Two British soldiers have been killed in south-east Iraq, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.
The soldiers from the Queen's Royal Lancers were on a routine patrol in Maysan Province when they were caught in an explosion.
Three further soldiers were injured - one seriously. They have been flown to Tallil airbase in Dhi Qar province.
The two deaths bring the total number of UK troops killed in operations in Iraq to 144.
The soldiers were patrolling in a Scimitar tank when the blast occurred at 1120 local time (0820 BST) on Thursday.
They were killed a day after Iraqi authorities took over control of security enforcement in Maysan Province.
The soldiers' families have asked for 24 hours before any further details are released about their deaths.
Two military personnel were killed on Sunday when two Puma helicopters crashed in an apparent mid-air collision in a rural area near Taji, north of Baghdad.
One has been named as Colour Sergeant Mark Powell, 37, of the Parachute Regiment. The other, an RAF airman, has not been named.
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