Polish soldier killed in Afghanistan
2009-09-09

Polish Armed Forces have again suffered the loss of the soldier of the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Marcin Poręba was killed by a home-made IED that went off under an armoured troop carrier as the military convoy they were travelling in was about two kilometres from the Polish base of Giro on 4th September.
Five other soldiers were wounded during the explosion. They were immediately dressed and taken to the hospital. Their condition is described as stable.

“You sacrificed your life for a better and fairer world said Field Bishop MajGen. Tadeusz Płoski during a funeral ceremony held on 9th September in Sgt. Poreba’s hometown church in Szczecyn.

The ceremony attended, among others, chief of National Security Bureau Aleksander Szczyglo, Minister of National Defence Bogdan Klich and chief of the General Staff Gen. Franciszek Gągor.“There is no better ambassador for the Polish cause, as you are, serving here thousands kilometers away Polish borders. It is them, who participate in the mission that strengthen the Alliance, which is a guarantee of independence and security of our country”, stressed minister Bogdan Klich. “What those who set this trap for Polish soldiers wanted in fact was to blow up the trust between Polish soldiers and the Afghani people. Polish troops did not come to Afghanistan to kill - they want to provide security in the province for which they have taken on the responsibility”, stressed Klich.

Sgt. Marcin Poręba was posthumously awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Military Cross, the Star of Afghanistan and the Star of Iraq.

It was his second mission abroad. At home he served in 5 Engineering Regiment in Szczecin. He leaves a wife and a son.

His death brings to twelve the number of Polish fatalities in Afghanistan.

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