Royal Watch News

Prince Harry's base attacked due to security decision

Feb 11, 2013, 12:02 GMT

Prince Harry

Prince Harry's base in Afghanistan was attacked by the Taliban because the commanding officers had 'let down their guard'.

The British royal was serving as an Apache Helicopter pilot at Camp Bastion - Britain's biggest military base in the country - which was the target of an assault by enemy soldiers which destroyed millions of dollars' worth of US aircraft and equipment.

A review of the incident has found commanders at the camp, located in the Helmand province, had made the prevention of insider attacks the focus of their defensive strategy and did not predict a frontal assault by the Taliban last September when Harry was there.

The attack consisted of 15 men on a suicide mission breaching the perimeter and destroying the valuable equipment, including eight AV-8B Harrier jets belonging to the US marines.

Two marines lost their lives and several RAF servicemen were wounded as British and American troops endured a five-hour fire fight before eventually killing all the attackers.

A US Congressional staff member familiar with the unpublished review told

America's National Public Radio the military officers had deemed 'this kind of an attack a low probability' and had 'let there guard down'.

Following the assault, the Taliban released a statement revealing the attack was retaliation for an American-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammed and they revealed Bastion had been chosen because Harry was there.

British and coalition investigations into the attack remain classified.