(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - July 4, 2011: A massive air and ground search was under way this afternoon in Afghanistan to find a British soldier feared captured by Taliban fighters.
By Joe Murphy, Political Editor - London Evening Standard
All other operations were cancelled as special forces, troops, helicopters, drones and spy planes were deployed across Helmand.
The Taliban today claimed to have kidnapped and executed the man after taking him prisoner following a fierce fire fight but the claim could not be verified.
He is believed to have left the Salaang checkpoint in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand in the early hours of today after completing sentry duty. An Afghan soldier is said to have been the last person to see him.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that a British serviceman based in Helmand had gone missing.
"An extensive operation to locate him is under way," it said in a statement. "The individual was based in central Helmand and was reported missing in the early hours.
"His next of kin have been informed and they will be updated as the operation continues." The circumstances in which the soldier disappeared from his base were described as"highly unusual".
The Taliban claimed to have seized him but then killed him after coming under fire.
Military sources disputed there had been a fire fight in the area and there was no independent verification of the Taliban's claims which in the past have been exaggerated for propaganda purposes. In London, senior officials were in an emergency meeting and ministers were being kept updated.
A spokesman for the Taliban told the news agency Reuters that it had captured the soldier and executed him in the Babaji area of southern Helmand. Qari Mohammad Yousuf said: "The soldier was captured yesterday evening during a fire fight.
When the fighting got more intense we couldn't keep him so we had to kill him." Reuters could not verify the Taliban claim.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox made a statement in the Commons this afternoon. He said: "I can confirm to the House that a British serviceman is missing in Afghanistan and an extensive operation to locate him is underway.
"The individual was based in central Helmand and was reported missing in the early hours of this morning.
"His next-of-kin have been informed and they will be updated as the operation continues so no other family needs to be concerned.
"I recognise there will be many questions but speculation on an issue of this nature is unhelpful.
"I urge restraint from colleagues and the media and assure the House that the UK and ISAF are taking all necessary and appropriate action."
In June 2009 insurgents captured American soldier Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl in south-eastern Afghanistan and have released videos showing him in captivity dressed in both Afghan clothing and in military uniform.
Last summer, two sailors from the US navy went missing in Logar province, south of Kabul. A huge manhunt was launched by Nato forces but the bodies of both men were found days later.
The reported capture of the soldier comes at a sensitive time when David Cameron is poised to announce more details of his plan to withdraw the 9,500 UK troops in Afghanistan from combat duties by the end of the 2014.
The Prime Minister is said to have bowed to military advice that major troop withdrawals must be delayed until the last moment in case the Taliban are encouraged to dig in.
The British military death toll in Afghanistan now stands at 374 since the start of the conflict in 2001
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