Taleban insurgents threatened today to intensify attacks on British forces in southern Afghanistan after the news broke of Prince Harry's secret deployment in the war zone.

Shortly after Army chiefs confirmed that the Prince would be flown out of Afghanistan for security reasons, a Taleban spokesman said that his presence in Helmand province mean that the Royal Family had joined in the "aggression against Muslims".

It was the insurgent group's first reaction to the news that Harry had been directly involved in a combat tour in the area.

"Prince Harry’s presence in Afghanistan encourages our fighters to launch more attacks on British forces," Zabihullah Mujahid said. "The Royal Family is now directly participating in the aggression against Muslims."

Mr Mujahid, who was talking on the phone from an undisclosed location, said that the British were already facing defeat in Afghanistan. He suggested that the news of his combat tour had been deliberately leaked to cheer the British people.

"We think Prince Harry has been sent to Afghanistan only to boost the sagging morale of the British forces which are in serious trouble," he said. "For us he is just a part of occupation forces."

Instead of fighting and killing the innocent people, the Prince should try to influence his Government to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, Mr Mujahid added. "He should understand that the occupation cannot last long."

The 23-year-old Prince, a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, was sent to Afghanistan on December 14 and had served on the front lines as a "forward air controller" – responsible for providing cover for frontline troops – and on at least one occasion is known to have called down an air strike on a Taleban position.

He was also personally involved in a firefight with the Taleban, fighting alongside Gurkha troops just 500 metres from enemy positions.

His deployment was the result of a news blackout deal between the MoD and major news organisations, which broke down after his presence in Afghanistan was reported yesterday on the Drudge Report, a major American website.

One Australian news magazine, New Idea, had reported Harry's deployment a month ago but the story was not picked up elsewhere.

The MoD said in a statement today that the decision by foreign media outlets to report on Harry's presence in Afghanistan was "regrettable" but it had contingency plans in place to deal with it.

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