3 civilians killed by bomb in western Afghanistan

News in brief: three Afghan civilians in the western Afghanistan province of Farah, were killed yesterday (25th December) when the vehicle they were travelling in drove over a hidden bomb.

The incident happened in the Bakwa district. The victims were heading towards Herat, Abdul Rauf Ahmadi, a provincial police spokesman, said.

Italian soldier killed, five wounded in mortar attack

An Italian soldier, Sergeant Michele Silvestri, has been killed in a mortar attack in western Afghanistan's Farah Province.

Italian defence chiefs said that the attack took place early evening on Saturday 24th March at a Forward Operating Base in the southeastern district of Gulistan. Five Italian soldiers were injured. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter to a military field hospital.

US Army Sergeant Lex Lewis

US Army Sergeant Lex L. Lewis, died on 15th July 2011 from injuries he received in Farah province when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.

40-year-old Sgt. Lewis, from Rapid City, was a cavalry scout serving with 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Sgt. Lewis joined the Army in 1999 and joined his current unit in 2008. He had previously deployed to Iraq twice. His decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, NATO Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, South West Asia Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Italian Army Paratrooper Roberto Marchini

Italian Army Primo Caporal Maggiore Roberto Marchini was killed by a roadside bomb on Tuesday 12th July 2011 during a joint patrol about 3km from FOB Lavaredo, in Bakwa district, Farah province, Afghanistan. It was the last day of his deployment in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Maj. Marchini, born in 1983, served with the 8th Parachute Engineer Regiment based at Legnago, a unit within the Folgore Parachute Brigade. He was a bomb-disposal engineer on his third overseas combat mission.

He joined the army in 2005 and was proud to be a part of a team specializing in reconnaissance and bomb disposal. He leaves his parents and a sister.

Italian soldier, Corporal Francesco Vannozzi

Cpl. Francesco Vannozzi

Corporal Francesco Vannozzi, aged 26, serving with the Italian 7th Alpine Regiment was one of four Italian soldiers killed 9th October 2010 in a battle with Taliban insurgents.

Their patrol was returning to base in Farah province when the vehicles were struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Following the blast, Taliban then attacked the patrol with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Cpl. Vannozzi was born in Pisa, Italy.

The four dead soldiers all served with the 7th Alpini Regiment.

Italian soldier, Corporal Gianmarco Manca

Cpl. Gianmarco Manca

Corporal Gianmarco Manca, aged 32, serving with the Italian 7th Alpine Regiment was one of four Italian soldiers killed 9th October 2010 in a battle with Taliban insurgents.

Their patrol was returning to base in Farah province when the vehicles were struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Following the blast, Taliban then attacked the patrol with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Cpl. Manca was born in Alghero, Italy.

The four dead soldiers all served with the 7th Alpini Regiment.

Italian soldier, Corporal Sebastiano Ville

Sebastiano Ville

Corporal Sebastiano Ville, aged 27, serving with the Italian 7th Alpine Regiment was one of four Italian soldiers killed 9th October 2010 in a battle with Taliban insurgents.

Their patrol was returning to base in Farah province when the vehicles were struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Following the blast, Taliban then attacked the patrol with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Cpl. Ville was born in Lentini, Italy.

The four dead soldiers all served with the 7th Alpini Regiment.

Italian soldier, Corporal Marco Pedone

Cpl. Marco Pedone

Corporal Marco Pedone, aged 23, serving with the Italian 7th Alpine Regiment was one of four Italian soldiers killed 9th October 2010 in a battle with Taliban insurgents.

Their patrol was returning to base in Farah province when the vehicles were struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Following the blast, Taliban then attacked the patrol with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Cpl. Pedone was born in Gagliano del Capo, Italy.

The four dead soldiers all served with the 7th Alpini Regiment.

Italian paratrooper, Cpl. Alessandro Di Lisio

Cpl. Alessandro Di Lisio

Italian paratrooper, Corporal Alessandro Di Lisio, aged 25, was killed 14th September 2009 by a bomb blast from a land mine placed beside a road about 50 miles northeast of Farah.

A patrol of armoured vehicles was targeted by Taliban insurgents, who detonated the bomb as the vehicle which Cpl. Di Lisio was travelling in, passed by.

He died in a military Field Hospital in Farah.

Cpl. Di Lisio served with the Italian 187th Parachute Regiment.

Spanish soldier, Jorge Seminario, dies in bomb blast

Jorge Seminario

Spanish soldier Jorge Arnaldo Hernandez Seminario died after an explosion blasted the patrol vehicle he was in. Five other soldiers were seriously injured.

The incident took place near Farah in the west of the country on 8th July 2006.

The dead man had Peruvian nationality, the ministry said.