Five British troops killed in Afghanistan on Friday were caught in a cruel trap, retreating from one blast only to become the targets of a second, even more lethal explosion.

At 5am, a 30-man platoon was making its way along an alley in Wishtan, one of the most dangerous parts of the northern Helmand district of Sangin, when a bomb exploded between two compounds with 16ft-high mud walls.

One rifleman died instantly and five more were wounded, as well as their Afghan interpreter.

A signaller radioed for assistance and a quick reaction force was sent from a nearby base. A medical team took to the air in one of the few helicopters available to Brigadier Tim Radford, the force commander, as the patrol pulled back to regroup.

While they withdrew, a second bomb in the “daisy chain” went off, killing three more soldiers instantly — including one of the already injured men — and wounding another.

As the medical team arrived, American and British Apache helicopters circled overhead, firing intermittently to prevent the Taliban from mounting further attacks. The seriously wounded were ferried to the field hospital at the main British base at Camp Bastion, but a fifth soldier died on the way.

At Forward Operating Base Jackson, where the bulk of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles are based, the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Thomson, held a brief service of remembrance for the five men, whose deaths doubled the numbers his battalion had lost during their current tour.

“They paid the greatest sacrifice in the service of their friends, their regiment, the battle group, our country and the good people of Afghanistan,” said Thomson. Then he added: “We will not be turned”, and ordered the bugle major to sound the advance.

The deaths took the number of British troops killed in the space of 24 hours to eight. The way they died has highlighted the toll of the Taliban’s bombing campaign.

Twelve of the 15 British soldiers who have died in Afghanistan in the past 12 days were killed by bombs; three quarters of the soldiers killed in Afghanistan in the past two years have died this way.

A large number of soldiers have also suffered “life-changing” wounds in bomb attacks. The MoD refuses to give details, but more than 50 are known to have lost limbs in such attacks.

A shortage of helicopters has forced troops to resort to supply convoys that are up to 100 vehicles long and stretch for two miles, leaving them easy prey to Taliban roadside bombs.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Times Christmas appeal: Letter from the Editor
• Conferences — what a waste of money
• Schools supremo learns a painful lesson