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Prince and Princess of Asturias lead mourners at the funeral for Spanish soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By h.b.
Nov 12, 2008 - 7:32 AM

The Prince and Princess of Asturias led mourners at the emotional funeral held yesterday for the two latest Spanish soldiers to die in Afghanistan.

The state funeral was held at the Light Air Transport Brigade BEILAT base at Figueirido in Pontevedra.

Before the start of the funeral for Brigadeer Juan Andrés Suárez García and Corporal Rubén Alonso Ríos, the Prince and Princess comforted the widows and families of the deceased for several minutes.

The Prince and Princess of Asturias comforting the families - Photo EFE

The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and leader of the opposition, Mariano Rajoy, were both present along with other national and regional politicians, and many of the soldiers companions had tears in their eyes and they carried the two coffins, draped in the Spanish flag.

The death of the two soldiers takes the total number of Spaniards to die in Afghanistan to 89.