Three Special Operations Task Group personnel were wounded during a deliberate mission in Northern Helmand on the morning of 3 May, 2012 (Afghanistan time).
The three Australian soldiers, and two of their Coalition comrades were wounded when an insurgent-laid Improvised Explosive Device detonated mid-way through the mission.
Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Ash Power said the wounded soldiers received immediate first-aid after the blast site was secured, and a casualty evacuation was quickly organised.
“Two Australian soldiers suffered serious blast and fragmentation wounds in the incident and following treatment in ISAF medical facilities are currently assessed to be in a satisfactory medical condition,” Lieutenant General Power said.
“The third Australian suffered minor wounds and is likely to return to full duties after a short period of recovery.”
“Insurgents engaged the partnered force multiple times during the mission,” Lieutenant General Power said.
The soldiers’ families have been notified of the incident.
Based on medical advice, it is expected that the two seriously wounded soldiers will return to Australia in the coming days, possibly through the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Defence delayed the release of this information until the mission was complete and the partnered force had returned to their base location.
During the mission, several caches containing narcotics and drug manufacturing equipment were recovered along with weapons, ammunition and a quantity of improvised explosive device components.
Media contact:
Defence Media Operations 02 6127 1999
Issued by Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication,
Department of Defence,
Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999 Fax: 02 6265 6946
