(Adds Brown comments)

LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Four British soldiers were killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan on Friday, the Defence Ministry said.

Both incidents occurred in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, a vast desert region where Taliban insurgents are strong.

"This is a tragic loss," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement.

"Fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan puts our armed forces in the front line against terrorism. I know that the whole country is immensely proud of all those who serve in our armed forces and of what they do to protect each and every one of us."

The deaths brought the number of British troops killed in the Afghan conflict since it began in late 2001 to more than 130, according to Defence Ministry figures.

Britain has about 8,300 troops in Afghanistan, most of them stationed in Helmand.

(Reporting by Christina Fincher and Adrian Croft, editing by Ralph Gowling)

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