BRITAIN has lost 18 soldiers and Royal Marines in Afghanistan since November, the highest death toll for the traditional winter �ceasefire� months since US-led forces intervened to topple the Taliban in 2001.

BRITAIN has lost 18 soldiers and Royal Marines in Afghanistan since November, the highest death toll for the traditional winter "ceasefire" months since US-led forces intervened to topple the Taliban in 2001.

The cost in British lives for the equivalent period in 2006 was 10, followed by 12 in 2007 as insurgents continued to adhere to the centuries-old Afghan practice of scaling down military activity and retreating across the mountains into Pakistan before snow blocked the high passes.

This year, a hard-core element has decided to stay in Helmand province and fight on, with twin objectives of weakening UK political resolve by inflicting casualties and undermining Afghan government authority before national elections.

Last night, tributes were paid to the latest fatality, Marine Travis Mackin, 22, from Plymouth, who died after being hit by an insurgent improvised explosive device while on patrol in Kajaki in northern Helmand on Sunday.

The marine had been with a communications unit that was operating as part of Arbroath-based 45 Commando Royal Marines.

At the time, he was leading his team in a joint operation between Victor Company, with Arbroath 45 Commando, and Afghan troops to destroy a key Taliban command cell responsible for many attacks in the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris Royal Marines, Commanding Officer 45 Commando Group said: "Whilst Marine Mackin did not deploy to Afghanistan with 45 Commando he has been an integral member of Victor Company Group throughout the last three months at Kajaki.

He tragically died whilst operating at the forefront of a Victor Company patrol and he is very much considered as one of our own."

Military commanders claimed yesterday that higher British losses were partially due to the fact that 3 Commando Brigade had been heavily involved in "taking the fight to the enemy" in a series of operations designed to clear and hold Taliban heartland territory.

However, soldiers have told The Herald that there are more insurgents on the ground than ever and that there is now little or no difference between the summer fighting season and winter campaigning, with no break from the punishing pace for frontline units.

They also say that the number and sophistication of roadside booby-traps is causing alarm, with the devices matching improvements in armoured patrol vehicles such as the Viking, several of which have been destroyed in explosions.

The Royal Marines and their supporting units have suffered 14 dead since November and 30 since 2006, the highest fatality rate for any UK formation, and three more Marines than were killed in the entire Falklands War in 1982.

A total of 53 UK soldiers died over the past 12 months, mainly as a result of roadside bombs, compared with 42 in 2007 and 39 in 2006.