Estonia has slightly less than 300 military personnel serving in Afghanistan. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force's total personnel is 64,000 hailing from 42 different nations.

TALLINN — On Aug. 23 the Estonian government confirmed the deaths of Master Sergeant Eerik Salmus and Sergeant Raivis Kang whilst on active duty in Afghanistan.

The soldiers, both 26 years old, were attacked and killed in the notorious Helmand Province region while operating as part of a mine clearing team.

Estonia has a contingent of just under 300 personnel in Afghanistan.  They are part of the large NATO-led presence there that currently numbers over 64,000 and is represented by 42 nations. The deaths of Salmus and Kang brings the total of Estonian personnel killed in the Afghanistan to six.

There has been a joint offensive in the past three months in order to liberate communities from Taliban control.  Such offensives are considered more difficult during the harsh winter conditions, so this summer has seen an increase in aggressive tactics.

However, this action has resulted in a significant increase in casualties and thus political and public scrutiny in both the United States and Great Britain in particular, who have the two largest contingencies in the region.

The Estonian forces are working side by side with the American and British forces and although small in number are exposed to similar operational dangers.

The Estonian government explained the need for its participation in Afghanistan and then paid tribute to the two fallen soldiers in a press statement. It stated that the grief of a small nation is great and the loss of each fallen soldier is unfair.

It read, “In these difficult moments and days, the whole of the Estonian nation stands in mourning alongside the relatives of Master Sergeant Salmus and Sergeant Kang. Nothing will bring back the fallen men, but Estonia and our allies will never forget their heroes.”

Yesterday, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas sent a letter of condolences to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Urmas Paet regarding the soldiers.

In his letter, the Minister expresses sincere condolences to the families of the perished soldiers. Lithuania has 200 personnel serving in Afghanistan.