Wife mourns 'strong, brave' soldier
Tributes have been paid to a "strong and brave" British soldier killed on one of the bloodiest days for UK forces in Afghanistan.
Corporal Sean Binnie, 22, from the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, died in a fire fight with insurgents near Musa Qala in Helmand province on Thursday.
Another three British soldiers in Afghanistan were killed in two other incidents on the same day, taking the number of UK service personnel lost in the country since 2001 to 157.
It was the bloodiest day for British forces in Afghanistan since February 25, when three soldiers and one Royal Marine died.
Cpl Binnie, from Belfast, was taking part in a routine reassurance patrol with the Afghan National Army when he came under attack.
He was killed when he went forward to engage the enemy and get his comrades out of danger.
His wife, Amanda, 21, spoke of her devastation at losing her "hero".
Addressing her late husband, she said: "You have been so strong and brave. Our married life has been a short six months and I'm speaking for both of us in saying it was the best six months ever. I know you have died a happy married man in doing what you loved. We're so proud of you. God bless you, babe."
The soldier's mother, Janette, said: "We are devastated at the loss of our son, Sean. We are very proud of him and he will be missed always. Sleep tight."
Senior officers praised the bravery, enthusiasm and "strong determined streak" of Cpl Binnie, who served in Iraq and the Falkland Islands before deploying to Afghanistan in March as a mentor, living and working with Afghan soldiers.
