Media Room: Media Releases

Third Australian Special Operations Task Group soldier identified as being wounded in 28 October IED Strikes

A third Australian Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) soldier has been identified as wounded after sustaining a soft tissue injury to his shoulder in one of the two Improvised Explosive Device strikes on Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles on 28 October.

Defence reported on 3 November that two soldiers were wounded in the separate IED strikes, which occurred within moments of each other in separate locations.

This third soldier was not reported as wounded at the time, as the soldier believed his shoulder wound was minor and he continued with the operation in the Shah Wali Kot region of Northern Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Over the past week the soldier’s wound has become more painful and on 5 November he was transferred to the ISAF Role Two Medical Facility at Multi National Base Camp - Tarin Kot for medical review.

The soldier is expected to make a full recovery and return to duty.

Sixty Australian soldiers have been wounded in Afghanistan this year, with 160 wounded since Australian operations in the country began.

Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664