Three soldiers from the 280th Infantry Battalion Protection of the “Brave Hearts” Force, from Focsani were injured in Afghanistan on Friday, around 10:00 hrs, during a mission in the responsibility area, informs a press release of the Ministry of Defence sent to AGERPRES.
“The servicemen were granted first aid in the field, then they were evacuated to the nearest military hospital. Two are in stable condition, the third being seriously injured,” MApN says.
The names of the servicemen will be made public after their families are announced, MApN specifies.
According to the release, the soldiers were in a convoy of four MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles in the Kandahar region when a VBIED (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device) collided with their armored vehicle.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the soldiers from Focsani were deployed to the theater of operations in Afghanistan in August.
This year, the Romanian Armed Forces participate in the NATO Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan with over 620 servicemen, while some other 300 are deployed in operations under NATO, EU, the UN and the OSCE command/mandate to other regions.
During the foreign missions, 28 soldiers have lost their lives, and more than 180 have been injured.
“The security situation in Afghanistan remains unstable, with most incidents occurring in the eastern and southern provinces of Afghanistan. The NATO forces securing the military bases and major centres of the country remain permanent targets for possible attacks by insurgents. Romania continues to observe its commitments in Afghanistan’s theater of operations, the main effort remains focused on assuring the protection of the forces in the Kandahar Military Base, while at the same time participating in the training, counseling and assistance of the Afghan security forces in the North and South Regional Command Centres,” further reads the press release.