Two British soldiers killed during a rocket attack in southern Afghanistan have been named.
Friends Lance Bombardier Ross Clark, 25, and Lance Bombardier Liam McLaughlin, 21, both from 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, were killed in the Sangin Valley, Helmand Province, on Saturday.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was "greatly saddened" to hear of their deaths.
"By all accounts, they were clearly very professional, capable soldiers who were greatly respected by those who worked with them," he said. "My thoughts are with their families and friends at this difficult time."
The Ministry of Defence described Mr Clark as an "exceptionally gifted soldier who had proved his mettle on operations", as well as on exercises in Norway, Belize and the US.
Mr McLaughlin, known simply as Paddy to his colleagues, "only had one setting, and that was throttle fully on", the MoD said. He also had a ready smile, indomitable spirit and boundless energy, the spokesman added.
Zimbabwe-born Mr Clark was brought up in South Africa before joining the British Army in April 2002. After basic and specialist military training, he volunteered for service with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, passing the Commando Course in March 2003. He went straight to war-fighting operations on the Al Faw Peninsula in Iraq.
In November 2004, he was posted to 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery Royal Artillery, following completion of their arduous selection course.
Mr McLaughlin was raised in Lancashire. He enlisted in the Army in September 2002, spending a year at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate before joining 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery in November 2003.
Having passed the All Arms Commando Course at his first attempt, securing the right to his Green Beret, Mr McLaughlin spent a brief period based at the Regimental Headquarters in Plymouth before moving to 148 Commando Forward Observation Battery Royal Artillery, a detached sub-unit based in Poole, Dorset, in November 2004. Their deaths bring the number of British Forces personnel killed in Afghanistan since operations began in November 2001 to 50.
