A soldier from Co Derry has been killed in southern Afghanistan, where he was serving with the First Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment of the British army.
Britain's Ministry of Defence said the soldier, who is understood to have been from Macosquin, was on patrol when an explosion occurred in Helmand Province.
He has been named as 22-year-old Ranger Aaron McCormick.
He was caught in a blast while on patrol in the Nad'e Ali area of Helmand province yesterday morning.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel David Eastman, said: 'It is with a heavy heart that I must report the loss of a soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment.
'The soldier was part of a patrol providing security and a reassuring presence for the people of Nad'e Ali when he was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device.
'On this day of all days, his loss feels especially poignant and, as with all of our brave, fallen comrades, will be forever marked in our thoughts; he will be sorely missed.'
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said he was deeply moved and saddened by the soldier's death.
'This death brings home the reality of war. Remembrance Sunday is not about the past, it's about the present,' he said.
'It's about the family in Northern Ireland who are now grieving the loss of their boy. I extend my deepest sympathies to them.'
