THERE are fears the six Yorkshire Regiment soldiers killed in Afghanistan could have been the victims of a new Taliban bomb.
One theory is that Taliban detonated an ‘explosively formed projectile’ under the soldier’s Warrior armoured vehicle.
This sends a projectile of hot metal though even the toughest armour causing devastating damage similar to an armour piercing shell.
Iraqi insurgents have used the device but this would be the first used by the Taliban.
Investigators are still examining the wreckage but reports the Warrior exploded and then burned for several hours might indicate the use of such a device.
Investigators are also looking at the possibility that the Taliban used an IED three times larger than normal, made up of half a ton of explosives made from agricultural fertiliser or that the Warrior was victim of a ‘legacy mine’ an anti tank device left over from the Russian invasion and planted by the Taliban.
The Warrior had been given a safety upgrade contrary to some reports to improve its mine protection in a £40m programme for all Warriors last June.
