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AFGHANISTAN

Swedish officer injured in Afghanistan blast

A Swedish army officer is to be flown home from Afghanistan after being seriously injured in a bomb explosion on Monday afternoon.

The officer was part of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) disposal team deployed to investigate a hole in the road between Sheberghan and Sar-e-Pol in northern Afghanistan.

The extent of the officer’s injuries are not yet known but they are not believed to be life-threatening.

The Swedish Armed Forces said they did not yet have an explanation for the blast at 3.50pm local time that led to the officer’s injuries.

“An explosion took place before the group began its operation. We do not know what caused it. We have experts on their way down there to investigate what may have happened,” said Armed Forces spokesman Rick Forsling.

The Swede was taken by helicopter to a the German Army base at Marmal outside Mazar-i-Sharif. He is expected to be flown to Sweden on a German plane later on Monday.