London:
A probe was launched by the British Defence ministry into claims that a soldier cut fingers off dead Taliban fighters to keep as souvenirs, BBC reported on Monday.
The allegations relate to a soldier from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who was serving in Afghanistan.
The claims centre on the battalion's last tour of duty in the country. It was deployed in Helmand from September 2010 until April this year, tasked with training Afghan police.
Soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, are recruited in Scotland but based in Canterbury, in Kent.
Douglas Young, executive chairman of the British Armed Forces Federation, said he was "shocked" to learn of the probe.
"While the facts still need to be established, if there turns out to be anything in these claims, clearly the MoD are correct to treat the matter very seriously."
"The alleged behaviour is totally out of kilter with the ethos of the armed forces," the BBC quoted him as saying.
The allegations relate to a soldier from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who was serving in Afghanistan.
The claims centre on the battalion's last tour of duty in the country. It was deployed in Helmand from September 2010 until April this year, tasked with training Afghan police.
Soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, are recruited in Scotland but based in Canterbury, in Kent.
Douglas Young, executive chairman of the British Armed Forces Federation, said he was "shocked" to learn of the probe.
"While the facts still need to be established, if there turns out to be anything in these claims, clearly the MoD are correct to treat the matter very seriously."
"The alleged behaviour is totally out of kilter with the ethos of the armed forces," the BBC quoted him as saying.
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