One of Britain's top soldiers wounded during firefight with the Taliban

One of Scotland’s most senior soldiers is being evacuated from Afghanistan after being shot and wounded during a battle with the Taliban.

Lieutenant Colonel David Richmond, commanding officer of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during an intense firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province.

Lt Col Richmond, 41, was hit by enemy fire near the battlezone town of Musa Qala, which was reclaimed by British forces last December.

He will be flown back to the UK for treatment at the Army’s centre for defence medicine in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.

The officer is one of the highest ranking soldiers to be wounded in Afghanistan.

It is believed he was caught up in a firefight on Thursday afternoon as soldiers from the Argylls, the 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, conducted operations in the hinterland around Musa Qala.

No details of the incident have been provided by the Ministry of Defence, but the Army has confirmed that Lt Col Richmond was wounded by "enemy action".

Last night, Major Adam Fairrie, of the Argylls, said: "The commanding officer has received the very best medical care following him sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg. He will be returning to Selly Oak in due course.

"His thoughts are very much with the families of the members of the Parachute Regiment who died in other incidents this week and also with his battalion.

"His family ask for their privacy to be respected."

The injury to Lt Col Richmond rounds off a bloody week for British forces in Afghanistan.

On Sunday, the death toll of UK troops reached 100 when three soldiers from
the Parachute regiment – including Dumfries-born David Murray, 19 – died
in a suicide bomb attack.

On Thursday night, Lance Corporal James Bateman, 29, and Private Jeff
Doherty, 20, were killed in a firefight after their patrol was ambushed.

The deaths follow warnings from Brigadier Andrew MacKay, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan before handing over to Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, that troops would face increasing guerrilla attacks as the Taliban react to a series of defeats that have pushed them from the battlefield.

Lt Col Richmond is expected to rejoin his men before their tour of duty ends.