KABUL (BNO NEWS) — Five Bive British soldiers were shot dead in Afghanistan’s Helmand province on Tuesday, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Wednesday.

“It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of five soldiers in southern Afghanistan,” a statement read. “The soldiers were all killed as a result of gunshot wounds sustained in an attack in the Nad-e’Ali District of Helmand Province during the afternoon of 3 November 2009.”

A spokeswoman for the ministry told BNO News that an Afghan policeman opened fire, killing the five soldiers. The spokeswoman said the suspect had not yet been arrested following the shooting, and his current whereabouts are unknown. She said the suspect was confirmed to be a policeman, and not a person dressed as a police officer.

“It is with the deepest sadness I must inform you that five British soldiers were shot and killed yesterday in Nad-e’Ali District. Five British soldiers, five of our own, shot down in the course of duty,” said Lt. Col. David Wakefield, a spokesman for the Task Force Helmand. “They will not be forgotten,” he added.

Three of the soldiers were from the Grenadier Guards, and two from the Royal Military Police. The families of the casualties have been informed.

No further information was not immediately available.