DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 178/10
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Three Australian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan
Three soldiers from Australia’s 1st Mentoring Task Force (MTF1) suffered minor
wounds on Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated against their
Bushmaster vehicle in the Chora region of Oruzgan Province.
One soldier will return to Australia for further treatment while the other two soldiers
are expected to return to full duties after a short period of recovery.
Commanding Officer of the MTF1, Lieutenant Colonel Jason Blain, said the soldiers
had spoken to their families and were receiving further medical treatment at the ISAF
military facility in Tarin Kowt.
“These men are receiving the best of care – they are in a satisfactory and stable
condition and are resting comfortably,” Lieutenant Colonel Blain said.
“This incident once again demonstrates the dangers faced every day by Australian
soldiers as well as the local people in Oruzgan.
“Fortunately the Bushmaster vehicle took the brunt of the blast and protected the
soldiers from more serious wounds.”
Lieutenant Colonel Blain said insurgents place improvised explosive devices in areas
frequented by the local people as well as Australian, ISAF, and Afghan personnel.
He said improvised explosive devices indiscriminately killed and injured the local
population as well as security forces.
“This IED could easily have detonated under the car of a local family,” Lieutenant
Colonel Blain said.
“The insurgents clearly do not care about the well being of the Afghan people.”
These casualties bring the number of Australians wounded this year to 26. Eighteen of
those soldiers were members of the MTF1. To date 126 personnel have been wounded
since Operation SLIPPER began.
For more information on the ADF’s operation in Afghanistan and ADF casualty
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
