in reply to the Muslim killed in Afghanistan from the Int Corps, i was on 226 Sig Sqn with him when they deployed (i went off to a pashtu course instead of deploying and went out the following summer). His brother was also in the Int Corps and served in Kosovo. i know of a very good female Muslim Royal Navy Writer who deployed many times, mostly as a linguist due to her extensive knowledge of languages and Islamic culture. lovely girl and a good friend. on a side note, whilst in Afghanistan in 2007, i was asked to liaise with a soldier from the Estonian unit out in Helmand. I spent the afternoon chatting with a grizzled Major of the Estonian Army who had been a private in the Soviet Union Army in the late 80's and had been deployed in Afghanistan then!! amazing guy and scary as hell!!
There are definitely people of all religions in the forces still - my husband was a training instructor until last year, training soldiers going through Phase 1 training. He trained Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Rastafarians, Hindu etc etc. Very interesting about the former Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan. I genuinely had no idea that any had stayed over there, or that so many are still missing.
"The Last Soviet in Afghanistan" tells the story of one who went back to the Ukraine for a visit after 29 years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TveNjPw5H5Q
