A Royal Marine killed during a special operation against the Taleban in southern Afghanistan was named today by the Ministry of Defence as Lance Corporal Michael Jones.

Corporal Jones, 26, a commando in the Special Boat Service (SBS) was on a mission to root out insurgents in Nimruz province in the south-west of the country on Sunday. He was the fourth British serviceman to die in Afghanistan in four days last week.

Corporal Jones, from Newbald, East Yorkshire, had joined the Royal Marines at the age of 18 in 1999, and served on operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

His Commanding Officer, who has not been named, said: “Michael was a truly exceptional Junior Non-Commissioned Officer, the best at his level, who unflinchingly stood, time after time, shoulder to shoulder with his friends in the very worst of conditions. It will be impossible to replace Michael. He will be remembered as a genuine and loyal friend whose selfless bravery whilst assaulting a formidable Taleban position is an example to us all.”

Three other SBS men were also wounded in Sunday’s battle, which was ordered against a Taleban group that was believed to be planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The death was unusual in that most fatalities involving British forces have been in Helmand province, further east of Nimruz.

The Defence Secretary, Des Brown, paid his respects to the “experienced and courageous” Royal Marine. “His significant contribution towards the defence of his country will not be forgotten and his loss will be felt by all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and comrades.”

Corporal Jones was the 68th member of the British armed forces to die in Afghanistan since the UK joined the US-led invasion in November 2001 and the fourth to be killed last week. Sergeant Barry Keen, 34, from 245 Signal Squadron, 14 Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, was killed last Friday; Guardsman David Atherton, 25, from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was killed the day before; and Lance Corporal Alex Hawkins, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died in an explosion in Sangin last Wednesday.

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