R.I.P. - Car. Sc. Manuele Braj (Italy)

via http://www.esercito.difesa.it

An Italian soldier was killed Monday and two others were wounded in an explosion at a police training camp in Adraskan in western Afghanistan, Italy's defense ministry said.

The explosion hit "an observation hut near a shooting range", the ministry said in a statement, without giving further details on what caused the blast.

Manuele Braj, 30, who was married with an eight-month-old baby, was killed instantly. Two other Italian soldiers were wounded to the legs but are out of danger. All three belonged to the Police Specialty Training Team (PSTT).

Afghanistan Western region police spokesman Raouf Ahmadi said, however, that there was no sign of an attack, and the soldier died when a grenade went off inside a watchtower at the base.

The blast area has been isolated while officials carry out an investigation into the explosion, the ministry said.

Italian sources: 

 - Ministero della Difesa - Afghanistan: deceduto un carabiniere nella base di Adraskan

- TRT Italiano - AFGHANISTAN, CARABINIERE MUORE IN ESPLOSIONE ALL’INTERNO DI UNA BASE

- Reuters Italy - Afghanistan, carabiniere muore in attentato contro base

- Kappaelle.net - Afghanistan:deceduto un carabiniere nella base di Adraskan

English sources:

- Sky News - Italian soldier killed in Afghanistan

- KHAAMA - Italian soldier killed following blast in western Afghanistan 

- Naharnet -  Italian Soldier Killed, 2 Wounded in Western Afghanistan Blast

- Herat blast kills ISAF soldier, injures 2 - sgt-jim.blogspot.com

Posted in: Afghanistan, fallen heros, Herat, International Security Assistance Force, Italy, NATO