Suicide Attack Kills Romanian Soldier in Afghanistan

The Romanian defence ministry said in a statement on Monday that a vehicle carrying explosives crashed head-on into the military vehicle in which Claudiu Constantin Vulpoiu and his five fellow servicemen were travelling.

The Romanian troops were on patrol in Zabul province, on the Kabul-Kandahar highway. Vulpoiu, 41, had served in six missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Romania, a NATO member, is a staunch ally of the US and has sent troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The country currently has around 1,000 troops serving with the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.

However while the military contributions are welcomed by Romania's Western partners, they are far from popular at home.

More than 65 per cent of Romanians are against any military involvement in foreign armed conflicts, according to opinion polls.

Twenty-three Romanian troops have been killed in Afghanistan alone and many people believe such missions are also a burden on the country’s debt-ridden budget.