In his autobiography, Prince Harry reveals that he killed 25 of the insurgent group’s fighters while serving for the British Army in Afghanistan. This claiming has drawn criticism from some British security and military figures – and an angry rebuke from the Taliban

Harry disclosed the figure in his upcoming autobiography “Spare”, according to British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, which said it obtained a copy of the Spanish version of the book ahead of its official release slated for Tuesday, January 10.   

“My number is 25. It’s not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me,” Harry reportedly writes. In another section, he is quoted as describing Taliban insurgents as “chess pieces” taken off the board, rather than people.

CNN has not seen a copy of the book but has requested an advance copy of the book from the publisher Penguin Random House. A number of UK media outlets obtained Spanish-language copies on Thursday, and quoted translated excerpts.

The prince’s comments prompted a sharp backlash from members of the military community, with leading figures saying they could jeopardize his safety and give the British Army a bad reputation.

The UK’s former national security adviser Kim Darroch, who was the British Ambassador to the United States from 2016 to 2019, told Sky News he would have advised Harry against making the statements. And Colonel Richard Kemp, a retired British army officer, told the same network they “tarnished” his reputation and “unjustly” painted the British Army in a negative light.