Romanian Army 2nd Lt. Catalin Marinescu

Romanian soldier, Catalin Ionel Marinescu of the 26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab" was severely injured by the explosion of an improvised explosive device, while patrolling the A1 highway near Kabul, Afghanistan. He died in hospital, 10th May 2011, from the injuries he sustained from the blast.

Marinescu was 28 and was not married. Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea posthumously promoted Marinescu to the rank of Second-Lieutenant.

This is the second Romanian soldier killed in Afghanistan in less than a week.

Romania has about 1,700 troops deployed in Afghanistan under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Romanian soldier, Constantin Lixandru

Romanian Army Corporal Constantin Laurentiu Lixandru, aged 30, was killed in Zabul province, Afghanistan, on 5th May 2011. He was part of a mobile patrol when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle.

Cpl. Lixandru served with the Romanian 26th Infantry. He was airlifted to Lagman Military Hospital but died from severe injuries.

The Romanian Minister of Defense, Gabriel Oprea, posthumously promoted him to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and will propose the president of Romania to decorate him with the National Order of the Star of Romania.

Two Romanian soldiers killed by IED blast

Sgt. Major Marius Florin Sfeches

Private Cristian-Petru Filip

Two Romanian soldiers were killed near Qalat on 1st October when the Humvee they were in went over an improvised explosive device (IED). The two troops, Sergeant Major Marius Florin Sfeches and private Cristian Petru Filip, were part of Carpathian Hawks 812 Battalion. Since the war began in Afghanistan, a total of 17 Romanian troops were killed and 55 others were injured. 

A total of 1,650 Romanian troops are deployed in the country.

Sfeches was 25 years old and was not married. Filip was 25, not married.

IED kills two Romanian troops

Two Romanian troops were killed 23rd June 2010 near Qalat, after their Humvee was hit by a makeshift remotely detonated explosive device.

According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the two soldiers were part of the 33rd Maneuver Battalion in Afghanistan.

"Sergeant-Major Dan Ciobotaru and Corporal Paul Caracuda were on a mission on the Kabul-Kandahar motorway. Around 30 km away from Qalat, their Humvee was attacked with a remotely detonated explosive device. The two soldiers lost their lives in the explosion," the Defense Ministry said.

Ciobotaru was 28 and not married. Caracuda, 36, had been employed with the Defense Ministry since 1996. He was married and had two children.

Romanian Sergeant-Major Mihail Anton Samuilă

Mihail Anton Samuilă

Sergeant-Major Mihail Anton Samuilă, aged 35, died on 14th November 2003, after sustaining serious injuries when the Army convoy he was in was ambushed by Taliban insurgents on 11th November. The insurgents opened fire with machineguns and rocket propelled grenades.

The incident happened near the town of Spin Boldak.

Sgt-Maj Samuilă served with the 151st Infantry Battalion 'Razboieni', also known as the 'Black Wolves'.

Another Romanian soldier, Sergeant Major Iosif-Silviu Fogorasi was killed in the same attack. Both men were posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

Romanian Sergeant-Major Iosif-Silviu Fogorasi

Iosif-Silviu Fogorasi

Sergeant Major Iosif-Silviu Fogorasi, aged 33, was killed on 11th November 2003, when Taliban insurgents ambushed a Romanian Army convoy. The insurgents opened fire with machineguns and rocket propelled grenades.

The incident happened near the town of Spin Boldak.

Sgt-Maj Fogorasi served with the 151st Infantry Battalion 'Razboieni', also known as the 'Black Wolves'.

Another Romanian soldier, Sergeant-Major Mihail Anton Samuilă, was critically injured in the attack and later died from his wounds. Both men were posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.