Hundreds of troops were today engaged in a desperate search for a British soldier kidnapped by the Taliban.

The man - who has not been named - was seized during a fierce gun battle with insurgents yesterday evening in the Babaji area of southern Helmand.

'The soldier was captured yesterday evening during a firefight. When the fighting got more intense we couldn't keep him so we had to kill him,' Qari Mohammad Yousuf said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

The MoD today confirmed that the missing solider was British and his family had been informed of his disappearance.

'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 of this morning.'

British forces have cancellled all other operations to hunt for him. Troops are carrying out air and land searches across the sprawling district.

It is the first time a British soldier has been kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

It is understood that he had been based at Checkpoint Salaang and had just finished duty when he was taken.

An Afghan soldier reportedly told officers he saw the British man walk south and was alone at the time.

The Nato command in Afghanistan said the soldier had been listed as 'duty status whereabouts unknown' and a search was under way.

No further details were released. The spokesman would not comment on the Taliban’s statement.

It is believed the missing soldier may be a marine. He was operating in the area at the centre of a major British operation - codenamed Panther's Claw - in 2009.

Shit happens.

It does. What stunning commentary you have on it as well.

It may have been a direct commentary about so many on this forum saying that very thing when US soldiers kicked open a door and shot 2 men and 3 women to death.

It may have been a direct commentary about so many on this forum saying that very thing when US soldiers kicked open a door and shot 2 men and 3 women to death.

I see no sence saying more as well

Under guard: Flanked by British soldiers and security staff, Mr Cameron undertook a walkabout at Camp Bastion

Last night the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the soldier’s body was found inside a four-mile cordon set up around the area he was last seen alive.

It is understood he was shot in the back of his head – which would indicate a cold-blooded execution – as well as suffering other gunshot wounds. Some of his equipment had been stolen.

An investigation is under way. The unnamed soldier was from the 4th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland and his family have been informed.

He was last seen alive early yesterday after finishing duty at a vehicle checkpoint named Salaang near a remote joint British and Afghan base in central Helmand province.

Instead of returning to join fellow members of 4 Scots he is said to have walked – armed and in full combat uniform – in the opposite direction.

He was seen passing a checkpoint manned by the Afghan Army and said nothing as he walked into hostile territory. Taliban positions are often only a few hundred yards from those of Nato forces.

Colleagues raised the alarm when he failed to return and a massive manhunt was launched involving British, U.S. and Afghan forces.

Within hours, a Taliban spokesman claimed they had captured and killed the soldier after a fire fight but gave no further details.

The murder cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a victory tour for Mr Cameron to highlight progress in transforming Afghanistan and preparing for a withdrawal of British troops.

The death of the British soldier showed the 'high price' being paid to stabilise the country, Mr Cameron said today.

But he insisted the campaign against the Taliban in Helmand province was having 'success' and transition to Afghan security control was 'on track'.

Speaking at a press conference alongside President Hamid Karzai in Kabul this morning, Mr Cameron said: 'This was very sad news and I want the thoughts and condolences of everyone on my team here to be with the family of that soldier who received this very sad news.'

He added the incident was 'a reminder of the high price that we have paid for the vital work we do in Afghanistan and in Helmand province'.

Read the full article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -head.html

Brilliant. He joined the group of idiots you frown upon.

Are you pleased by that? It certainly doesn't sound like it bothers you, or at least, not like it bothers you if someone says 'shit happens' when some Afghan kid gets run over by a Stryker or some such thing.

Cherry picking which side you unleash your moral outrage on.

Uh-huh.

I see no further reason to extend Geneva Convention rights to these vermin.

Then you would be just like them, with no moral leg to stand on.

Doesnt seem to bother them much.