Prince Harry's Taliban headcount: UUP MLA and Afghanistan veteran Andy Allen says comments are 'not how we conduct outselves'

Former Royal Irish Regiment soldier Andy Allen was 19 when he lost both legs from a makeshift bomb while on an early morning patrol in Helmand province in 2008. The explosion also left him visually impaired.

He did one tour of Afghanistan, lasting just over four months, during which it was normal to have daily firefights with the enemy - though he says he would have been quite happy to have avoided them.

"I would tend to concur with the commentary that is coming out from many veterans, senior and otherwise," he said of Prince Harry's claim in his new memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters.

"Some of the commentary is that Harry's comments are not recognised as the way we conduct ourselves within the military. Certainly I would absolutely concur with that. And I don't recognise that as being anything that I experienced during my time in the service.

"I recognise more so that we were trained with incredible restraint.

"I recognise that engagement in battle for the majority of military people that I have spoken to - they would much prefer not to have been involved in those battles. The taking of life is not something that is not taken lightly."

He added that further context of the comments may reveal more about them, and he noted that there are no formal rules or laws to prevent Harry making them.

"But I am not so sure he should have done it in that way."