British soldier killed in battle is 98th to die

A military policeman has been killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said. His family have been told.

The soldier was shot dead during a gun battle in the Babaji area of Helmand Province yesterday.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield said: "It is with deep sadness I must inform you that a soldier from the Royal Military Police was shot and killed this morning on operations in the Babaji area of Helmand Province - one of our fellow soldiers taken from us in the course of his duty."

The death - the 98th this year in Afghanistan - came as Tory leader David Cameron demanded a military "surge" and warned the status quo was no longer acceptable.

During a debate on the Queen's Speech in the House of Commons earlier he said: "Isn't the right option, as Gen McChrystal [leader of the US forces] recommends, a military surge to protect the populated areas and increase the rate at which we train up the Afghans, combined, vitally, with a proper political strategy?"