Accident seriously injures two Australian soldiers in Afghanistan

Two Australian soldiers serving as the dedicated security element to the Provincial Reconstruction Team - Uruzgan in Afghanistan, are receiving medical care after being seriously injured on Saturday 2 July, 2011.

Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Ash Power said the incident was the result of an accident rather than an insurgent attack.

“The two soldiers received fragmentation injuries in an accident at the Multi National Base - Tarin Kot heavy weapons range,” Lieutenant General Power said.

Lieutenant General Power said that an investigation to determine the facts surrounding the incident would be conducted, but his primary concern was for the health of the soldiers.

“The health and wellbeing of the soldiers is my foremost concern,” Lieutenant General Power said.

“Fortunately, their location in Tarin Kot meant that both soldiers were able to receive emergency medical treatment at Tarin Kot’s ISAF Medical Facility immediately after the accident occurred.”

Following initial treatment, one soldier remains in a very serious condition and the other is assessed to be in a serious but stable condition.

“They will be transferred to the LandstuhlRegionalMedicalCenterin Germanyin the coming days to receive ongoing specialist care.”

The families of the injured soldiers have been notified and are receiving support from Defence.

This incident will be subject to a formal investigation and until this process is complete, Defence will not comment on the circumstances of the accident.

Further details of the injuries and names of the personnel affected will not be released for privacy reasons.