The news came as Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth paid his first fact-finding trip to the country this week.
An e-mailed statement from the MoD said that the soldier, from the Grenadier Guards infantry regiment, died from a gunshot wound. Two other soldiers were wounded in the same operation.
The deceased soldier’s next of kin have been informed and have requested a 24 hour period of grace before further details are released.
Ainsworth was in Afghanistan to meet commanders and troops involved with NATO operations in the south. He said that, despite the latest death, morale was high and that forces are making ‘genuine progress’ in the country.
During his visit, he was briefed by a number of units, including the Expeditionary Air Wing, the medics at Camp Bastion, and the Operational Liaison and Mentoring Team, who are training the Afghan National Army in Helmand Province.
The Minister then travelled to Kabul, where he met representatives from the Embassy team and units providing Force Protection in the capital.
Discussing his new role, he said: “Being appointed Minister for the Armed Forces carries with it great responsibility. My job is to make sure we are supporting our Servicemen and women on the frontline as best we can. We can all be very proud of what British Armed Forces are achieving here.”
As Armed Forces Minister, Mr Ainsworth is responsible for defence policy and planning, operations, and the Armed Forces, both regular and reserve.