British Hostage Peter Moore Freed In Iraq

A British hostage has been freed after being held in Iraq for more than two-and-a-half years.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he had just had a "very moving" conversation with Peter Moore, who is now at the British Embassy in Baghdad.

The 36-year-old is in "good health", he said, but is undergoing medical checks.

He said the former hostage was "to put it mildly absolutely delighted" at his release and would be reunited with his family "as soon as possible".

The computer expert was seized along with his four British bodyguards at the finance ministry in Baghdad on May 29, 2007.

Fears for his safety grew after the bodies of three of the security guards were handed over to the UK authorities.

Mr Moore's father Graeme, 60, from Wigston, Leicestershire, said he was "over the moon" at the news.

He said: "We are so relieved and we just want to get him home, back now to his family and friends.

"I'm breaking down, I'm just so overjoyed for the lad. It's been such a long haul."

Gordon Brown said: "I pay tribute to all those who helped in the protracted effort to secure the release.

"At this moment of celebration, we also remember the families of British hostages who have been killed in Iraq and elsewhere."


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British Soldier Named

Tributes have been paid to a soldier killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Monday.
Rifleman Aidan Howell, who was born in Sidcup, Kent, was nicknamed "Sunshine Boy", his family said in a statement.

"We cannot begin to express the total and utter devastation we feel at the loss of our beautiful son Aidan," they said.

"He may be recognised as a hero now, but to his family and everyone who was lucky enough to know him, he was already a hero.

"Aidan was a big Leeds United fan and even met the players, his heroes, before he left for Afghanistan."

The 19-year-old, from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, was killed by an improvised explosive device while patrolling in the Kajaki area of Helmand province.

His death takes the number of British service personnel killed in the conflict to 244, including 107 this year alone.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson, commanding officer of 3 Rifles Battle Group, said: "His loss is a tragedy and he goes to join a line of gallant Riflemen who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country and their mates out here in Afghanistan.

"Those who remain here will take strength from his courage and dedication and will honour his memory always."


HERO






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British troops in Afghanistan have held their own Christmas celebrations as senior officers served up meals.

Deputy commander of Nato forces Lt Gen Nick Parker, ambassador Mark Sedwill and UK commander in Helmand Brig James Cowan toured bases in the country.

Turkey, ham, mince pies, Christmas pudding and presents were flown in to British forces in southern Afghanistan.

Troops have been given an extra hour of free phone calls home on top of their normal 30 minutes' weekly allowance.

'Amazing job'

However, Christmas Day saw many troops in Afghanistan carrying out their usual front-line patrols.

General Parker, Mr Sedwill and Brigadier Cowan began their tour by serving breakfast to soldiers from 1 Royal Anglian Regiment in Silab in Nad-e-Ali district.

They visited the Coldstream guards in Babaji, the Grenadier Guards in Shahzad, and the headquarters of 3 Rifles in Sangin where Padre Mark Christian held a short service.

They then saw A Company, 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh, before Gen Parker went to the main British base at Camp Bastion.

Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield stressed the importance of visits by senior figures.

He said: "The message from Gen Parker to soldiers in places like Sangin and Nad-e-Ali was that even though they are sat up in Kabul looking at the whole of the country, these places are squarely in the centre of their minds because there is so much insurgent activity going on there and the fighting is so intense.

"The soldiers are doing an amazing job."

'Second family'

The BBC's Peter Greste, in Afghanistan, said the food was expected to be "a very welcome and festive departure from the usual rations".

Explaining the festive atmosphere, he said: "Everyone would much rather be at home, but they are with the people that are in a lot of respects essentially a second family.

"If they can't be with their blood relatives, they are with people who matter to them."

Some 120 bags of Christmas hampers, books and magazines have also been flown in.

Rifleman Dan Parrack, of 3 Rifles, told our correspondent his thoughts turned to loved ones over Christmas and he was looking forward to returning home.

The BBC put the soldier in touch with his mother Lisa Mitton, in High Wycombe, who said the chance to speak to her son and see him was "probably the best Christmas present" she could have asked for.

Difficult time

Servicemen and women will receive an additional 30 minutes free talk time from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and another 30 minutes from a communications company, giving them an extra hour to chat to family and friends between 22 December to 2 January.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said: "Free telephone minutes mean our forces can talk to their loved ones back home when they are in Afghanistan.

"I am delighted that we are able to boost the allowance even further over the Christmas and new year period."

Flight Lieutenant Andy Wilson, who manages the MoD's welfare communications, said: "Christmas can be a difficult time for the troops and their families and we hope that this goes some way in making this separation a little easier.

"This extra hour will allow families to share their news over the festive period, for mothers and fathers to have that extra bit of time to chat with their children and for the troops to feel as much a part of the celebrations as possible.

"Communication is vital to the morale of our personnel and the well-being of their loved ones at home, especially around this time of year."


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Soldier Dies In Helmand Bomb Blast

A soldier from the Parachute Regiment has been killed by a suspected improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan.

He died while on foot patrol near Sangin in Helmand Province. His family have been informed.

He is the third British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan in the last week.

The other two servicemen died in separate suspected friendly fire incidents.

Lance Corporal Michael David Pritchard, 22, of the 4th Regiment Royal Military Police, was killed in Sangin on Sunday.

On Tuesday a soldier from 3rd Battalion The Rifles died from wounds sustained in a firefight near Sangin.

The Royal Military Police are investigating both deaths. No more information will be released until inquests have been carried out.

Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said friendly fire incidents took place "very frequently indeed" in the chaos of war.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Troops are fighting in places like Sangin and other towns and villages where there are very tightly-packed compounds, rat-run alleyways, and high mud walls.

"The enemy appears very, very briefly at short range - it's kill or be killed.

"You open fire rapidly and sometimes, tragically, you open fire on your own people."

A total of 243 British troops have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001, 106 this year alone.







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Second 'Friendly Fire' Death in Afghanistan

A UK soldier has died following the second suspected "friendly fire" incident in two days in Afghanistan, as the MoD named the first serviceman killed.

The soldier's family have been informed. He was serving with 3rd Battalion The Rifles.

He died of his wounds following an incident in the Sangin area of Helmand on Monday.

His death follows that of Lance Corporal Michael David Pritchard of the 4th Regiment, Royal Military Police, who died following another suspected friendly fire incident the day before.

The 22-year-old, who was known as "Pritch", was described by his family as a "lover of life" who would always be in their hearts.

The Ministry of Defence said the possibility that he was killed by friendly fire was being investigated in Afghanistan but that no firm conclusion would be reached until the coroner's inquest.

he British death toll since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001 now stands at 241, including 104 deaths this year.

In a statement his family said: "With great sadness we say goodbye to our beloved son, a lover of life who has lived life to the full and has brought great joy to all those who are lucky enough to know him.

"A light that shines brightly, our precious son, brother, grandson, boyfriend and special friend to all, we are very proud of you in all that you have done and achieved and you will always be in our hearts now and evermore.

"God bless our darling boy from all of your family and friends."

L/Cpl Pritchard was born in Maidstone, Kent on January 11, 1987, but lived in Eastbourne, East Sussex, from the age of one and went to school there.

After leaving school and college, he enlisted into the Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police) in July 2007 before being posted to 160 Provost Company, 4th Regiment Royal Military Police, in Aldershot as a General Police Duties Junior Non-Commissioned Officer.

He deployed to Kenya as part of the training for Operation Herrick 11.

He arrived in Afghanistan in October attached to 4th Battalion The Rifles.

Lieutenant Colonel Debbie Poneskis, Commanding Officer, 4th Regiment, Royal Military Police said: "Lance Corporal Pritchard had only been in the Royal Military Police since July 2007 but he very quickly made a huge impact on all of us.

"It is tragic that we have been robbed of such a promising Junior Non-Commissioned Officer and one who was everything you would want in a Military Policeman.

"He was a professional and robust soldier and one who was both physically and morally courageous. He was absolutely committed to providing policing advice where it mattered most, alongside his Infantry colleagues on patrol and as part of the team."

RIP HEROES











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The soldier killed in Afghanistan on Saturday has been named as Corporal Simon Hornby of the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

The 29-year-old died in an explosion while on foot patrol in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence announced.

The Liverpudlian's wife Holly Hornby described the soldier as her "hero".

"I am devastated by the loss of Simon," she said.

"He was proud to be a soldier and died doing the job he loved."

Cpl Hornby's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Boyd said: "The Lions of England have lost one of their most courageous.

"(Cpl Hornby) was a professional and a highly respected leader of my soldiers.

"Always happy, always chirpy, he - as did we - lived for his sense of fun, humour and his infectious zest for life."

Lt Col Boyd praised Cpl Hornby's work in Afghanistan, where he had "won over the full confidence of Officer Commanding Arnhem Company, as well as his soldiers".

He added the soldier had "stepped up to effectively act as a Platoon Sergeant, taking on the administrative challenge brilliantly, yet with the same sense of humour that we all knew and loved".

"Our thoughts and prayers, particularly at this difficult time of year, lie with his wife Holly," Lt Col Boyd said.

Cpl Hornby had previously served in Iraq, where he was awarded a commendation for discovering an improvised explosive device and for spoiling an insurgent ambush.

A eulogy from the Ministry of Defence praised the soldier - known almost universally as 'Si' - as a "popular, friendly, sociable and selfless man".

"He loved life and was a passionate Liverpool FC fan," it read.

His death brings the total of British service personnel who have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001 to 240, including 103 deaths this year.


RIP HERO




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A British soldier from 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, has been killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The soldier died from wounds which were sustained in a blast while on foot patrol in the Nad-e-Ali area of central Helmand on Saturday.

Next of kin have been informed of the soldier's death.

A total of 240 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, including 103 this year.

Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is my sad duty to confirm that a soldier from 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was killed this morning.

"One of our fellow soldiers taken from us in the course of his duty, who will not be forgotten."

On Tuesday, two UK soldiers were killed in Afghanistan as they stopped suicide bombers attacking a packed marketplace, their commanding officer said.

L/Cpl David Kirkness, 24, of West Yorkshire, and Rifleman James Brown, 18, from Kent, both of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, were killed by an explosion at a vehicle checkpoint near Sangin in Helmand.




















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