Two Romanian Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan, One Injured

Sergeant major Marius Florin Sfeches, 26, and private Cristian-Petru Filip, 26, of the 812th maneuver battalion Soimii Carpatilor, died after their patrol Humvee ran over an improvised explosive device, about 40 kilometers north-east of Qalat, the Defense Mministry said in a statement Friday.

Corporal Vasile Zbanca was injured in the blast and has been transported by helicopter to the military hospital at the Lagman Base. The ministry said his condition is stable.

Romania has 1,663 troops deployed in Afghanistan, of which 1,655 under NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Over the past years, 17 Romanian troops have been killed and 55 others have been injured in Afghanistan.