Harry's 25 kills in Afghanistan: fierce criticism and his response

The media have had a lot to say about one particular revelation in Prince Harry's memoir, 'Spare'. The Prince has received backlash after stating he killed 25 people while in Afghanistan. In response, he has spoken out about the media's coverage.

In an interview with Late Show talk host Stephen Colbert, Prince Harry said that the media were trying to "strip away the context" of the comments which is endangering himself and his family.

Photo: Netflix

Stephen Colbert, having read this part of the book, seemed to be very much sympathetic with Harry and backed him up. He said that he thought it was a "very thoughtful description of what that knowledge is like to have."

So what media criticism is Harry talking about and what was exactly said in the book?

Prince Harry revealed in his memoir that he had killed 25 soldiers while in Afghanistan and wrote: "It seemed to me essential not to be afraid of that number. So my number is 25. It’s not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me."

Soldiers, veterans and other military officials took to social media, reacting to Harry's transparency during his time in the military. One was in complete disbelief that Harry could even work out how many soldiers he had killed.

According to The Guardian, one para said that the had "never heard anyone talk about kill counts."

The para continued, "...it’s crass and frankly cringeworthy. Taking a life is the most serious thing you can ever do on ops, serious people don’t talk it up as a game to shift a few books."

It is not just the number that has caused backlash - it is the terminology Harry used which has sparked outrage. In his book he wrote: "When I found myself plunged in the heat and confusion of combat I didn’t think of those 25 as people. They were chess pieces removed from the board. Bad people eliminated before they could kill good people."

Harry’s military connections had strong words to say. Harry likening his targets to removing ‘chess pieces’ from a board didn't go down too well.

Retired colonel Tim Collins, who is known for his inspirational speech in Iraq in 2003, called it a "tragic moneymaking scam," adding: "That’s not how you behave in the army, It’s not how we think," according to Forces News.

"Harry has now turned against the other family, the military, that once embraced him, having trashed his birth family," Colonel Tim Collins added.

The ex-colonel concluded, "In the end, I see only disappointment and misery in his pursuit of riches he does not need and his rejection of family and comradely love that he badly needs."

Perhaps even more harrowing is the Tweet from Senior Taliban official Anas Haqqani, who said: "Mr Harry!" The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans; They had families who were waiting for their return.”

And yet, the same Taliban official continued by saying "Among the killers of Afghans, not many have your decency to reveal their conscience and confess to their war crimes."

According to the AP, Ben McBean (who knew Harry and was part of the Royal Marines) said he didn't think it was a good idea to share the information for his own safety. "I don't think it is wise that he said that out loud."

McBean continues, ""He's already got a target on his back, more so than anyone else.”

The Guardian states that a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the military would not discuss Harry’s kill count claim: "We do not comment on operational details for security reasons."

The BBC reported Richard Kemp told them that the comments don't reflect "the way the British Army trains people," and that sharing them was "an error of judgment."

One retired Royal Navy soldier also had scathing words to say about this particular part of Harry's memoir. Chris Parry told the AP that the comments were "distasteful."

Many are not surprised by Harry's transparency, including Arash Azizzada, the co-founder of NGO Afghans For A Better Tomorrow. As Insider reports, he said the comments were "shocking yet unsurprising."

"Rather than brag about his military exploits, he should urge his native country to actually implement the Afghan resettlement scheme... Until that happens, Afghans are reluctant to listen to his experiences in a war that has come at an unspeakable cost for Afghans," Azizzada continued.

The Guardian reports that Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said Harry's comments "are a microcosm of the trauma experienced by Afghans at the hands of occupation forces who murdered innocents without any accountability."

Harry told Stephen Colbert that the purpose of this particular part of his memoir is to encourage others to "share their experiences without shame."

Despite this intention, Harry said the media were spreading a 'dangerous lie' by making it out as though he was bragging. Harry said "the spin of my words are dangerous," later adding, "I think the most important thing is to be honest and to be able to give space to others."

Harry concluded by saying "And my whole goal and my attempt with sharing that detail is to reduce the number of [people taking their own lives].”

Harry was met with applause from the audience