Prince Harry 'kills innocent Afghans while he is drunk', says Mujahideen leader

Prince Harry “kills innocent Afghans while he is drunk”, while foreign forces in Afghanistan have failed, a controversial Mujahideen leader in the country has declared.

In an outspoken interview, former Afghan prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, founder and leader of the Hizb-i-Islamia Party in Afghanistan, accused Britain of being dragged into the war to please its American allies and said its role in the conflict would have no significance after 2014.

Hekmatyar, who was designated a terrorist by the US State Department in February 2003, told the Daily Telegraph: "Britain dragged herself into this unjustified, useless but cruel conflict to please the White House.

"The British did not gain anything, instead they lost blood and treasure.

"They never had a positive role in Afghan affairs and they will not have any significance after 2014.

"I don't understand how the British public accept their children being sent to certain death in order to please American generals."

Of Prince Harry, who spent Christmas in Afghanistan where he is currently serving as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner, he said: "The British prince comes to Afghanistan to kill innocent Afghans while he is drunk.

"He wants to hunt down Mujahideen with his helicopter's rockets, without any shame.

"During the Mujahideen's attack on the American base the prince saw that he was the one about to be hunted and was searching for a hole in which to hide himself."

The interview comes just weeks after David Cameron signalled that British troops could be withdrawn from Afghanistan even faster after better-than-expected progress by the country's own security forces.

The Prime Minister has announced that UK numbers would be nearly halved to 5,200 this year as part of the plan to end combat operations in 2014, but during a pre-Christmas visit to troops in Camp Bastion he indicated the process could be speeded up further.

But Hekmatyar said: "The fact is that the government has failed. The authorities have lost their credibility completely. They have fallen victims to severe internal disputes and seem hopeless and worried.

"The foreign forces have failed and the situation is worsening day by day. We might face a dreadful situation after 2014, which no one could have anticipated.

"All Afghan groups should agree on the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops by 2014.

"Then a free and fair election should be held.

"We will accept the government of whichever party is voted by the majority of the Afghan people."

The leader said education was as necessary for girls as for boys, but just that they are not taught together.

He added: "Before the withdrawal of invading forces the Mujahideen would like to witness with their own eyes a scene that will teach the invaders to never think of coming this way again.

"And also the others who have bad intentions and are waiting to invade Afghanistan."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The suggestion that any member of the UK armed forces deployed on operations operates under the influence of alcohol is simply absurd - not least because the consumption of alcohol by UK military personnel is not permitted under any circumstances while deployed in Afghanistan.

"UK troops are deployed and remain in Afghanistan to protect our national security by removing what was a safe haven for international terrorism.

"Now, it is Afghan forces that now have lead security responsibility for around 75% of the population in the country and lead up to 80% of conventional partnered operations.

"It is this sort of progress that has allowed almost 60% of UK bases in Helmand to be shut or handed over and will allow us to leave a stronger more secure Afghanistan when combat operations cease by the end of 2014."

PA