Soldier killed on his birthday was true hero, says family

Lieutenant Douglas "Dougie" Dalzell, from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, who came from Hamstead Marshall, near Newbury, Berks, died in the Babaji area of southern Afghanistan on Thursday.

His family released a statement which said: "Our darling son and brother to Olivia and Angus, you touched the hearts of so many. You are our world and we love you with all our hearts. You only ever looked for the good in people and kept strong and happy in all you did. You are a true hero and we will miss you forever."

Meanwhile, Taliban resistance to the military offensive in southern Afghanistan has stepped up over the past few days, a senior British officer said yesterday.

But Major General Gordon Messenger said the increase in activity "in no way" threatened the success of the mission to clear and secure former Taliban strongholds around Marjah and Nad-e-Ali.

The "dislocation" of Taliban command structures achieved in the initial stages of Operation Moshtarak was continuing to have an impact on insurgent capabilities, he said.

The International Security Assistance Force and Afghan government forces have made significant finds of homemade bombs after tip-offs from locals unhappy with the repressive behaviour of the Taliban.