Prince Harry is desperately trying to justify the Taliban killing revelation by “exploiting” dying veterans

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The Duke of Sussex has been accused of “exploiting” military veteran suicides in a “desperate attempt at damage limitation” after revealing how many Taliban fighters he had killed in Afghanistan.

The duke was harshly criticized by leading military figures because he wrote in his memoirs, Speer, that he had killed 25 rebels. Many warned that he had endangered his own security and the security of others.

Asked about the negative reaction, the duke told a US chat show that his goal was to give veterans “space” to be honest and share their experiences without shame.

“My whole goal and attempt to share these details is to reduce the number of suicides,” he said.

He denied “showing off” the character and blamed the media for taking the comment out of context and turning it into “the most dangerous lie ever told” by increasing security risks.

“very pessimistic”

However, Colonel Richard Kemp, the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told The Telegraph: “I think it’s very cynical that veterans’ suicide has been used to justify comments he’s made about Afghanistan, they’ve now received such backlash from so many veterans.”

His explanation might have been more credible if he had included it in his book.

Instead, this appears to be a desperate attempt at harm limitation.

“It is an extraordinary perversion to say that those who have commented on his claims are exaggerating the danger he faces.

“Blaming others and the risks he has incurred on himself through his statements is part of a pattern of refusing to take responsibility for his actions.”

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Defense Select Committee, accused the Duke of “digging” after he defended the controversial revelation.

Mr Elwood said: “It is simply taboo to mention the number of kills.

We must not lose sight of why our army is being sent into conflict. Our armed forces are mobilized only to defend and maintain peace for a legitimate cause.

“When we speak of the professionalism of British forces, it is not just about our combat effectiveness but how we conduct ourselves in the aftermath of battle.

“We treat our opponents with respect, and that includes treating prisoners of war in accordance with international law, caring for the wounded and giving proper burials to the dead.

“Killing is never the primary objective and I encourage Prince Harry to clarify his comments.”

The Duke claimed during his interview with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show that he faced a growing security threat, not because of his revelations but as a direct result of the media coverage.

“This is a choice they made,” he said, referring to the media.

“If I heard anyone bragging about that kind of thing, I would be furious. But it’s a lie.

“My words are not dangerous, but the spin of my words is very dangerous.”

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