The soldier was attached to the Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force, and was killed in a small arms fire engagement with insurgent forces in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, said yesterday:
"It is my sad duty to inform you that a soldier from 101 Engineer Regiment (EOD) was killed this afternoon in southern Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand province.
"He was attached to the Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force.
"The soldier was part of an EOD team that was extracting from an incident when he was killed by small arms fire. He died seeking to rid Helmand of IEDs such that local Afghans could move freely throughout the province.
"He will be greatly missed and his actions will not be forgotten. We will remember him."
Next of kin have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details are released.