Australian Troops Aid Civilian Casualties From IED Blast

Australian soldiers and their Afghan partners have provided emergency medical assistance to a group of Afghan civilians who were injured when their vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Uruzgan Province on Monday, 5 December 2011.

Three children and one adult were killed in the blast while four other children and two adults were seriously injured.

Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Ash Power said the casualties presented for medical treatment at an Australian Patrol Base, approximately 30 kilometres north of Tarin Kot.

“I am proud of the way our combat medics from Mentoring Task Force - Three (MTF-3) responded to the emergency, in providing immediate first aid to the casualties,” Lieutenant General Power said.

"Sadly, not all the casualties survived the blast, but our soldiers' rapid and efficient response in conjunction with the aero medical evacuation team meant we were able to get the survivors to hospital at Tarin Kot for further treatment.”

Figures released in mid July 2011 by the United Nations Assistance Mission - Afghanistan revealed that across Afghanistan, IEDs and suicide attacks caused 49 percent of conflict attributed deaths.

“The insurgents continue to employ tactics that place innocent Afghans at high risk by the indiscriminate use of Improvised Explosive Devices within populated areas,” Lieutenant General Power said.

“Our forces in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are providing protection to the people of Uruzgan by targeting the threat posed by IEDs and the insurgents that conduct operations in the province.”

ENDS

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