Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said in a warning to Britain’s royal family that the Taliban is determined to catch the 27-year old Prince dead or alive and would treat him like other prisoners.
The warning from the Taliban comes after Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Thursday 9 February that Prince Harry, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, would be deployed in Afghanistan towards the end of 2012 to fly the army’s Apache attack helicopter.
The Taliban’s threat is a source of great embarrassment for Prince Harry as he is bent on repairing his reputation following his last deployment in Afghanistan which was cut short after a media blackout on his presence in the country broke down.
In 2008, the prince’s 14-week trip to Afghanistan was cut short when the MoD decided to return Prince Harry to Britain amid fears that the Taliban would catch him.
“This decision has been taken primarily on the basis that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry in Afghanistan could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier,” said the MoD back in 2008 as the ministry referred to the media coverage of the prince’s presence in Afghanistan as “regrettable.”
Ever since 2008, the prince has been eager to return to Afghanistan and fix his reputation. He completed an 18-month training course as a helicopter gunner and was declared best in his class.
Nevertheless, the recent warning from the Taliban is likely to cast a cloud over the prince’s mission in Afghanistan, as he would have to watch every step he would take on his mission.
ISH/PKH/HE
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