AAP
June 7, 2011, 6:50 pm
'Committed to Afghan mission'
Treasurer Wayne Swan has said Australia will continue its mission in Afghanistan even as the digger casualties rise to 27.
Treasurer Wayne Swan says Australia remains committed to the mission in Afghanistan, as the nation mourns another soldier.
23-year-old Rowan Robinson was a combat engineer who was preparing to take out a Taliban weapons cache when he was hit by enemy gunfire.
He later died of his wounds in Afghanistan - the 27th digger to die in the near decade-long war.
Asked at the National Press Club on Tuesday whether the war had been worth the cost in terms of lives and taxpayers' money, Mr Swan said Australia remained committed to the mission.
"Our commitment to Afghanistan is part of a wider commitment to deal with terrorism internationally," he said.
"We remain convinced this is the right course of action and ... our thoughts go out to the families of all those who have been lost in this conflict.
"But it in no way diminishes the government's commitment to dealing with the fight against international terrorism in Afghanistan."
Air Chief Marshal Houston announced the death to reporters on Tuesday.
"An Australian combat engineer was shot (on Monday evening)," he said.
"Despite the rapid application of first aid and his evacuation ... the soldier succumbed to his wounds."
The combat engineer was involved in a raid on an enemy weapons cache.
The soldiers family have been informed, Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
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On Monday, the bodies of Lieutenant Marcus Case and Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, killed in Afghanistan last week, returned home to Melbourne.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said Robinson was on his second tour of duty to Afghanistan.
He was single and a "fine young man", the Defence chief said.
"He had great potential and was very well liked."
Air Chief Marshal Houston said there were two phases of the operation which resulted in the NSW-born digger being shot.
A patrol was initially deployed to an area in the northern Helmand province, known to be an insurgent "distribution and supply cell".
The Defence chief said that was confirmed when the largest munitions cache discovered by Australian forces this year was unearthed.
"It contained anti-personnel mines, grenade launchers and ammunition, assault rifles, communications equipment and components for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
"At the time of the discovery the (Australian-Afghan) partnered patrol came under small arms fire from two locations and the commander on the ground made the decision to destroy the cache."
1 of 27
Photo by ADF
Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case - Killed May 31st, 2011- aged 27
The Defence chief said the 23-year-old combat engineer was caught in crossfire.
"During this second engagement, the Special Operations Task Group soldier was shot by insurgents while he was in an overwatch position," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
"His mates came quickly to him under heavy fire, commenced first aid and called for an aeromedical evacuation.
"Very sadly, despite these efforts, this young man could not be saved."
The Defence chief said he didn't know how many Taliban were involved but he thought it was a "sizeable number".
The digger's death is the fourth fatality in two weeks.
On the broader question of Australia's involvement in the war, Air Chief Marshal Houston said the recent spate of bad news was not indicative of the wider battle.
"Our soldiers have a very high level of morale at the moment, they think they're winning, they think they're making a difference," he said.
The last Afghan winter was significant in terms of success for western forces in Oruzgan Province but, Air Chief Marshal Houston said, "we must expect more losses".
"When you lose somebody there's always a sense of loss and sadness but there's also a steely resolve - this sacrifice will not be in vain," he said.
The chief said the latest death shouldn't be used to argue for a troop withdrawal.
"Why would you pull out when you are making the best progress you have ever made," he said.
"Why, why would you do it? We need to stay the course."
He said Australian forces made significant inroads during the Afghan winter.
Now they are in the midst of what is traditionally called the fighting season.
As the snows of Afghanistan's many mountains melts the Taliban regains access to mountain trails it uses to re-supply fighters.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the 23-year-old soldier was taken to a medical facility at Tarin Kowt within an hour of being shot on Monday night.
"That's a great outcome, but unfortunately we were unable to save him," he said.
Air Chief Marshal Houston couldn't comment on whether the level of air support provided to the troops during the operation was sufficient because only preliminary reports were available at this early stage.
"Certainly the indications are that everything went the way it should have done," he said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to address the media in Alice Springs shortly to discuss the combat engineer's death.
Related stories:
Latest Digger death a bitter blow: Abbott
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Fallen Diggers return home to Australia
Defence Minister Smith heads for NATO meeting
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