Allain Tikko was an Estonian warrant officer (veebel

Veebel

Veebel is an Estonian military rank which has existed since the 20th century. The word veebel is usually, but incorrectly, translated in English as Sergeant...

) in charge of a jagu

Jagu

Jagu, is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. Jagu is bigger than a salk but smaller than a rühm...

 (a small military unit) in ESTCOY-8, which had been posted in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 as a part of United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

's military operations, itself a part of NATO continuing operations in Afghanistan.

Service

Vbl

Veebel

Veebel is an Estonian military rank which has existed since the 20th century. The word veebel is usually, but incorrectly, translated in English as Sergeant...

 Tikko began military service in 1998 and has served in the Scoutspataljon, the staff of the Maavägi

Maavägi

The Estonian Ground Force is the name of the unified ground forces among the Estonian Defence Forces where it has an offensive military formation role...

 (Ground Forces) and the operative department of the Head Staff of Kaitsevägi (the Estonian Defence Forces). Before ESTCOY-8's mission in Afghanistan, Tikko had participated in three foreign missions: he had headed a section in Kosovo

Kosovo

Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

 in 2003 as a part of the Baltic Intelligence Squadron for KFOR; he had headed an infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 section of ESTPLA-9 in Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

 in 2004, and he had served in Afghanistan in 2007 in ESTCOY-4.

Awards

Vbl Tikko has been awarded a Service Medal of Estonian Defence Forces  and a Service Medal for Battle Services of Estonian Defence Forces .

Death

On early morning of 15 June 2009, vbl Tikko's squad was ambushed in about one kilometre from the Pimon patrol base in the Helmand province. Opposing combatants fired a rocket-propelled grenade upon the squad from about 400 m (1,312 ft), killing Tikko and wounding three other members of his unit.

Background

Estonia has been participating in NATO operations in Afghanistan since 2003. Before vbl Tikko, three Estonian soldiers had died in the course of these operations.

After the scheduled five-month increase of military presence in July, intended to improve security during the upcoming presidential elections of Afghanistan, Estonian military contingent will be the second largest (after the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

) of the participating NATO forces.