London - Two British soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan, the British defence ministry said late Thursday.

The two were on routine foot patrol near their base in Helmand province, a locus of violent clashes, the ministry said.

A third soldier was injured.

Three British soldiers were killed on Sunday in the same province. With Thursday's deaths, the British death toll has reached 100 since the beginning of the Afghanistan conflict in 2001, when the US-led coalition brought down the Taliban government that had supported the al-Qaeda terrorist network. (dpa)