Estonian infantryman lightly wounded in Afghanistan
11.04.2008
TALLINN, Apr 11, BNS - A soldier from the Estonian infantry company ESTCOY-5 was lightly wounded in an explosion on Thursday; there is no danger to his life.
Estonian medics gave emergency aid to the wounded soldier and at present he is with the company in Now Zadi. The defense forces are not going to make public the name of the wounded soldier or the nature of his injury, because publication of delicate personal information is not permitted under the personal information protection act. The soldier called Estonia and informed his folks at home about the incident.
ESTCOY-5 continues its operation in the vicinity of the settlement of Now Zadi.
The 82-strong infantry company ESTCOY-5 started its service in the Helmand Province of southern Afghanistan in December and will conclude it in May.
The first Estonian soliders were despatched to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, in Afghanistan in 2003.
During that period about 25 Estonian soldiers have been wounded there; the previous such incident took place on the last day of March.
Last June assistant team leader Sergeant Kalle Torn, 24, and driver Sergeant Jako Karuks, 33, were killed in a rocket attack in the Helmand Province. Four soldiers were wounded, two of them lightly and two gravely.
In the Iraqi mission where Estonia participates since June 2003, about twenty Estonian soldiers have been wounded and two have been killed -- Sergeant Andres Nuiamae, 21, and Sergeant Major Arre Illenzeer, 28.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee
 
|
