Two Royal Marines have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

The marines, from 42 Commando, were hit by an improvised explosive device in the Nad Ali district of Helmand province on Friday.The MoD said they were on patrol in the Loy Mandeh area when they were killed and that next of kin had been informed.The deaths take the number of British military deaths in operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 368.Spokesman for Task Force Helmand Maj Rolf Kurth said: "It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of two...

South African was shot in the stomach and abandoned by forces loyal to Gaddafi

A South African freelance photographer missing in Libya since April is believed dead after being shot in the stomach and abandoned in the desert by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, his family said yesterday.Anton Hammerl, 41, who also had Austrian nationality and lived in London, was hit in the stomach after coming under fire on April 5, family friend Bronwyn Friedlander said in London.South Africa and Austria criticised Gaddafi's government yesterday...

NATO air attacks have hit Libyan government weapons depots near Zintan, southwest of Tripoli, the capital, according to a rebel spokesman in the town.

Separately, two loud explosions rocked a western sector of Tripoli on Sunday as jets flew overhead, witnesses told the AFP news agency.An international coalition began carrying out attacks on forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's long-time ruler, on March 19, under a UN mandate to protect civilians in the country. NATO took command of operations over Libya on March 31."NATO struck weapons depots five minutes ago in an area...