A British soldier has been killed today while on patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

Members of the 3 Para Battle Group were on patrol in Sangin town, in the southern province of Helmand, when they came under attack from suspected Taleban forces.

An MoD spokesman said: "It is with deep regret that we can confirm that during the incident a British soldier has been killed.

"We are currently in the process of informing next of kin and cannot comment further until that process is complete."

The British soldier killed today in the southern Afghan province of Helmand is the sixth serviceman to die in the area in the last month.

Captain Jim Philippson, 29, of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, was the first of the soldiers to be killed on June 11 during a firefight with Taliban insurgents.

The soldier, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, is believed to have been trying to help a wounded colleague when he was shot.

Captain David Patten and Sergeant Paul Bartlett were killed on June 27 when a UK patrol came under attack.

Captain Patten, 38, of the Parachute Regiment and Sergeant Bartlett, 35, of the Royal Marines, were part of a planned operation in the Sangin valley, northern Helmand province. They are believed to have been on a special forces mission.

The last two soldiers to be killed, Corporal Peter Thorpe and Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, died on July 1 following an attack in Sangin, also in the Helmand Province.

Earlier today, Tony Blair promised to provide more resources for the fight against the Taleban in Afghanistan.

He told the Commons at question time that no request had yet been made by commanders on the ground for more troops or logistics. "If they need more, we will make sure that they get more," he said.

Mr Blair also joined David Cameron in praising the work done by British troops, hailing their "extraordinary and heroic job" and insisting the mission was vital to security in Afghanistan and the wider world.

The Prime Minister told the Commons: "They are fighting a battle that I think is important not just for the security of Afghanistan. It is important for the security of the wider world.

"It is absolutely right we give them every support. We will do that.

"It’s also worth pointing out that we, sadly, have lost troops in Afghanistan, so have many other countries, including Germany, Italy and Spain.

"It’s important we realise when they give their lives in the service of our country, they’re giving their lives in support of a mission that is absolutely necessary and vital to our security here in this country."

It is understood the soldier died at about 11.30am today British time.

The latest death brings to six the number of military personnel killed in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in the past three-and-a-half weeks.

On Saturday, Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, 24, from Birmingham, of the Intelligence Corps attached to the Royal Signals, died with Corporal Peter Thorpe, 27, of the Royal Signals, from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, following an attack in Sangin.

Like the latest soldier to be killed in a clash with rebels, both men were from 3 Para Battle Group.

On Tuesday last week two unnamed servicemen, believed to be special forces, were killed in the Sangin valley after a patrol was caught in a gun battle with Taliban militia.

Captain Jim Philippson, 29, of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, died in a firefight with rebels last month.

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