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Surge in casualties undermining Afghan war effort, Army report says
A top level report ordered by General Sir Richard Dannatt, the chief of the general staff, warns that pressure on the Army is being "compounded" by the growing number of troops wounded in Afghanistan.
In an astonishing admission the report also reveals that the Army does not have accurate figures for the number of seriously injured soldiers within its ranks and admits that many are not receiving the appropriate medical support.
Details of the document can be disclosed as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) named three soldiers killed in a multiple improvised explosive attack close to Sangin on Thursday.
Captain Mark Hale, 42, Rifleman Daniel Wild, 19, both of the 2nd battalion the Rifles and Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton, 23, of 40th Regiment Royal Artillery, were killed in two separate explosions.
Their deaths brought to 199 the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001.
The document, entitled the Chief of the General Staff's Briefing Team Report, also warns that "soldiers' morale and operational effectiveness" is being undermined by a shortage of vital equipment and that troops of all ranks are suffering from "widespread professional dissatisfaction".