Three Australian Defence Force (ADF) members have been wounded in action when the Bushmaster they were travelling in struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
The incident occurred just before midday on 2 January 2012 local Afghan time, 60kms North West of Multi-National Base – Tarin Kot (MNB – TK) in the Shahid-e-Hasa region of Uruzgan.
The three wounded soldiers from Mentoring Task Force – 3 (MTF- 3) received immediate first aid at the scene and were evacuated by helicopter to the Role 2 Medical Facility at MNB – TK.
The three wounded soldiers are medically assessed as being in a satisfactory condition. Their wounds are not life threatening and their families have been notified.
One soldier has been transported to the Role 1 medical facility at Al Minhad Air base before returning to Australia where he is expected to make a full recovery. The other two soldiers have been discharged and are being managed as outpatients.
The wounds were sustained during an operational mission and the members have been classified as having been ‘Wounded in Action’.
The ADF does not release personal details of wounded personnel. The ADF’s primary concern is for the medical treatment of the wounded soldiers and providing support for their families.
To date, 216 ADF members have been wounded in Afghanistan since 2001.
Media contact: Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999