By Alex Thomson
As the two main contenders for the presidency both claiming victory, two more British soldiers were killed as the voting took place yesterday.
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One was part of reinforcements sent here three weeks ago to boost numbers after a wave of casualties. Their families have been informed.
It brings the total number killed in the conflict to 206.
The Ministry of Defence says they were killed in Helmand province near the town of Sangin, one from the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, the other from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles.
In the meantime the bodies of four soldiers killed in Afghanistan were returned to RAF Lyneham today.
Relatives and the general public lined the streets of Wooton Bassett to pay their respects.
All were members of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Sergeant Simon Valentine, who was 29, died after being caught in an explosion last Saturday.
But 24 year old Lance Corporal James Fullarton, fusilier Simon Annis who was 22 and fusilier Louis Carter who was 18 lost their lives on Sunday in a bombing in Sangin.
Afghanistan election: so who won?
President Hamid Karzai is claiming he’s won another term in office while his main rival Abdullah Abdullah is claiming HE’S won.
Mr Karzai has always said a successful election would depend on the turnout, that’s put at just under 50 percent in some areas such as Kabul.
But at polling stations Channel 4 News visited, turnout was just 20 to 30 per cent.
There, British soldiers are dying, in part, to ensure proper elections went ahead in the southern Helmand Province.
Yet turnout there was just eight percent according to election observers.
Our Asia Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh reports.