Killed solider named by MoD

The body of a British soldier shot dead by a member of the Afghan National Army was repatriated to the UK today.

Sapper Richard Walker - a member of 28 Engineer Regiment attached to 21 Engineer Regiment - was killed in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on January 7.

His coffin, draped in the Union flag draped, was flown into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

The Ministry of Defence statement describes Sapper Richard Walker as successful soldier, keen footballer and proud father:

Lieutenant Colonel Chas Story RE, Sapper Richard Walker's Commanding Officer, paid the following tribute to him:

Sapper Richard Walker's family has paid the following tribute to him:

• Born on 7 February 1989 in Leeds
• Worked as a technician for Vauxhall before joining the Army in July 2008
• Completed his Phase Two Combat Engineer Training at Gibraltar Barracks, Minley
• Joined 28 Engineer Regiment in September 2009

• Joined the Regiment on major exercises in Canada and Kenya
• Deployed to Afghanistan in September 2012 as part of Task Force Helmand Engineer Group
• Father to one daughter, Lilly-Faith, who he only knew for 18 months before deployment

A British soldier from 28 Engineer Regiment, attached to 21 Engineer Regiment, was killed by a suspected member of the Afghan National Army yesterday in Afghanistan.

All six British deaths, since the current tour of 28 Engineer Regiment duty began in October, have resulted from attacks by local forces.

ITV News' International Editor Bill Neely reports:

Afghan National Army Major General, Sayeed Malook, 215th Corps commander, has said he is "deeply upset" by death of a British serviceman in a so-called 'inside attack' yesterday.

"Regrettably despite all our efforts to prevent incidents such as these last night we missed one of these again.

"I'm deeply upset and heartbroken at this. We will focus all our efforts towards preventing these incidents.

"I would like to express my condolences to the families and relatives, and I would also like to wish good health to those who have be wounded in this incident", he added.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack which killed a British soldier in Afghanistan.

Spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said in an email that "an infiltrator" staged the attack and managed to escape from the scene but was then shot and killed after opening fire on a checkpoint.

The Taliban have used the term in the past to refer to members who have enlisted in the military to conduct such an attack.

Nato command spokesman Brigadier General Gunter Katz has spoken about the 'insider attack' in Helmand province at a news conference in Kabul:

"Yesterday, a suspected member of the Afghan National Army shot and killed a British soldier."

"He turned his weapon against members of the Afghan National Army and ISAF, and was shot during the incident that took place at the patrol base Hazrat in the province".

He also confirmed that the incident is under investigation.

A British soldier has been shot dead by a suspected member of the Afghan army at a patrol base in Helmand province.

An MoD official in Kabul, who asked to remain anonymous, said six British soldiers were also wounded in the incident, the Press Association reports.