A British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the fourth NATO serviceman to die in four days.

The soldier, a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers who was attached to 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, died of his wounds after being injured by a roadside bomb during fighting with insurgents in the Kajaki district of the troubled southern province yesterday, said the Ministry of Defence.

A further two British soldiers, both members of 2 Para, were injured. Next of kin have been informed.

“At 18.18hrs local time on Tuesday 22 July 2008 their routine patrol came under enemy fire. Whilst returning fire one soldier from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment was injured by a mine," said the MoD in a statement.

"While leaving the scene after suppressing the enemy, a vehicle other soldiers were travelling in hit a suspected IED. One soldier from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment was injured and one soldier from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers sustained serious injuries.

"The soldier from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, despite the best medical efforts at the scene, died a few minutes later. All casualties were extracted to Bastion medical facilities where they received medical care. Their injuries are not life threatening."

The death was the first British fatality in Afghanistan this month. Last month 13 British troops died, including the first British servicewoman to die on active service in Afghanistan, the second highest death toll since operations began in November 2001.

The worst loss of life for British troops was in September 2006 when 19 servicemen died - 14 when a Nimrod MR2 aircraft crashed.

The latest death took to 139 the number of international soldiers killed this year in fighting with the Taleban-led insurgency. More than 2,600 people have died in insurgency-related violence this year.

“Our hearts and minds are with the family and loved ones of this fine soldier who died yesterday. This soldier died honourably, helping bring security to Afghanistan,” said Captain Mike Finney, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

Meanwhile, an improvised bomb planted by the Taleban killed a district police chief in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

Qayoom Khan, the police chief of the province’s Chaparhar district, was killed when the bomb blew up his car, said Sayed Mohammad Palawan, the district administration chief. Two other police officers were wounded in the blast.

“It was the work of the Taliban,” said Mr Palawan.

Gordon Brown told the Commons earlier this month that he would not set an “artificial timetable” for withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, but that he hoped that Afghan forces would take over “more and more responsibility” for security as their capability improved.

Mr Brown said Afghanistan was the “front line against the Taleban” and since coalition intervention there had been a 25 per cent fall in infant mortality.

Times Recommends

• Michael Jackson: Not the final chapter
• Indian Army spends10m rupees on golf buggies
• Sacha Baron Cohen forced to tone down Brüno