The commander of the special operation forces detachment from Afghanistan sent this morning the first findings of the board who has been investigating the cause of death of the two Romanian soldiers and the injuring of the third one in Afghanistan.

The Romanian soldiers were training the Afghan police members in a training base located nearby Kandahar when personnel wearing the uniform of the Afghan security forces opened direct fire against them. The Romanian soldiers acted in accordance with standard operating procedures of the theater of operations: they returned fire by killing the aggressors and securing the area.

During the exchange of fire, which lasted 3 to 4 minutes, three Romanian soldiers were injured. After having received the first aid, the injured soldiers were evacuated to the closest hospital. Unfortunately, two of them lost their lives.

The third soldier was evacuated today, at 10.30 am, to a US hospital from Germany. The soldier's health status is stable.

Representatives of the allied forces are also taking part in this investigation.

The General Staff has taken measures to increase security level of the soldiers deployed and assigned in common training missions and to repatriate with full honors the remains of the soldiers killed on duty.

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On Monday, May 9th, at 8.00, military and religious ceremonies commemorating the death of the two soldiers will be organized in all military units located in the country and abroad.

The MoND leadership expresses its deepest sorrow for the loss of the two soldiers and stands beside the grieving families, at the same time permanently getting informed on the health condition evolution of the injured soldier.

Press Department