von A soldier from the Australian Mentoring Task Force – Three (MTF‑3) has been wounded in action when the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) he was travelling in struck an insurgent-laid Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Uruzgan Province.
The incident occurred at approximately 4.30pm (local time) yesterday, Tuesday 6 September 2011, in the Char Chineh District in western Uruzgan Province.
The Deputy Commander of Combined Team – Uruzgan (CT‑U), Colonel David Smith, said the soldier was on a partnered MTF‑3 and Afghan 6th Infantry Kandak security patrol.
“The MTF‑3 and Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were coming under fire from insurgents when an IED detonated, with the blast striking one of the patrol’s PMVs,” Colonel Smith said.
“The patrol took action to secure the area while the wounded soldier received immediate first aid.”
The soldier was evacuated by helicopter to the Role 2 Medical Facility at the Multi National Base — Tarin Kot.
He was subsequently moved to the Role 3 Medical Facility at Kandahar for specialist review and further treatment.
The wounded soldier has been assessed as being stable and in a satisfactory condition and his family has been notified.
Details of the soldier’s wounds and his name will not be released for privacy reasons.
The number of soldiers wounded in action in Afghanistan this year now stands at 27.
192 soldiers have been wounded in Afghanistan since 2001.
Any Australian Defence Force (ADF) member who is serving in war-like conditions and is hurt as a consequence of action against the enemy is classified as having been ‘wounded.’
An ADF member hurt in an incident that has not been the result of enemy action in warlike conditions is classified as having been ‘injured.’
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Press release
Ministerial Support and Public Affairs,
Department of Defence,
Canberra, Australia