Polish army suffers first casualty in Afghanistan

WARSAW, Aug 14 (Reuters) A Polish soldier died today when his patrol was attacked near the city of Gardez in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Aleksander Szczyglo told television station TVN24.

The 28-year old Lukasz Kurowski was injured in an exchange of fire and died on the way to hospital. He is the first Pole to be killed from Poland's Afghan military mission, which began last year.

Poland has around 1,100 soldiers in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission to help restore order in the country.

Reuters RSA DB2344