Six soldiers from the Royal Irish Regiment have been injured in a bomb attack in Helmand Province – the worst single attack since the troops arrived in March.

The attack from the Taliban, happened at an outpost in Sangin, northern Helmand at about 7pm on Friday night — however details were only confirmed by the MoD last night.

The soldiers, have not yet been named but it is understood a number are from Northern Ireland, are part of 1 Royal Irish, and were carrying out a routine patrol when the explosion occurred.

It is understood three of the men were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off as their WIMIK vehicle (Weapon Mounted Installation Kit) — a stripped down Land Rover — passed over it.

A fourth, soldier, a member of the Royal Engineers also on board sustained injuries in the blast.

Two other soldiers, who were part of the immediate response team evacuating the casualties were hurt after being involved in a road traffic collision.

It is believed they were extracting the injured parties (med-evac) using a quad bike when it veered down an embankment.

Meanwhile, a sixth was stung by a scorpion as he assisted with the evacuation.

None of the men sustained life threatening injuries.

However the most serious casualty, who was wounded in the face, has been flown to the UK for treatment at the military hospital in Selly Oak, Birmingham.

Three others are recovering at the Field Hospital in Camp Bastion — where 62 doctors and nurses from Northern Ireland’s TA have recently taken responsibility for care.

Speaking from the Royal Irish base at Camp Shorabak close to Camp Bastion Sgt Major Denis McKee said the soldier had been flown back to the UK as a “precautionary measure”.

He said: “He sustained facial injuries and is being taken back just as a precautionary measure. The other boys sustained shrapnel wounds and some are going back to work within the next two days — the remainder will be back at work within the end of the week.”

There have been a number of attacks on the Royal Irish in recent weeks suggesting the Taliban have stepped up their campaign.

Earlier this week the Belfast Telegraph reported how another soldier lost a leg after stepping on an IED during a patrol. He too was flown back to Birmingham for treatment.

On May 31, a suicide IED exploded outside the gates of Camp Bastion — the first hit on the military base in four years.

Sgt Major McKee said the Taliban were changing their tactics.

He said: “There is more of a change towards the improvised IED either as a pressure plate device or initiated either by a command wire or remote control.

“These types of devices provide less risk for the enemy but cause both vehicular, military and civilian casualties. Suicide IEDs can cause serious casualties among the civilian population therefore losing confidence in the Taliban.

“Now the IEDs are more directed towards military style vehicles and personnel thereby causing less civilian casualties.”