Fiji Citizen in British Army killed in Afghanistan

A Fiji citizen in the British army has been killed in Afghanistan and has been identified as Rifleman Aminiasi Toge from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles.

Rifleman Toge died in an explosion while on foot patrol near Gereshk in Central Helmand Province.

He was from the same battalion as the five soldiers - three of them aged just 18, who were killed during a foot patrol near the town of Sangin in central Helmand on July 10.

Commanding Officer of 2nd Rifles, Lt Colonel Rob Thomson said Toge was one of the toughest rifleman under his command and "was adored" heartbreakingly so by all who had the privilege to encounter him.

Thomson said "Toge was his fastest Fijian and was known as "Lightning", he was smaller than most of the South Pacific heroes but no less robust, determined with an oval ball under his arm.

Toge's death took the number of UK troops who have died in Afghanistan since the start of Operations in October 2001 to 185, six more than the total death toll in the Iraq war.

26 year old Rifleman Toge, known as Togey by his friends, was born in Suva and leaves behind a twin brother, three sisters and his parents.