The two special forces soldiers killed during an hour-long firefight in southern Afghanistan were part of a daring raid on a Taleban stronghold in which four key commanders on the "Most Wanted" list were seized.

The details of the "snatch" operation emerged as the next of kin of the two special forces soldiers were told of their deaths. Their names are not going to be released at the request of their families.

The SAS, the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service (SBS) and the newly formed Special Forces Support Group, consisting of troops from the 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were all involved in the largest covert operation launched in southern Afghanistan since British troops were deployed there last month.

Defence sources said there had been intelligence that four key Taleban leaders were in a compound in the village of Sangin in the far north of Helmand province, where 3,300 British troops are now based.

The special forces "snatch squad" was backed up by two companies of about 100 paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.

The soldiers from 3 Para launched an attack on the compound, providing covering fire as the snatch squad moved in and grabbed the four Taleban leaders. They were described as "high-value targets".

At that stage there had been no British casualties and the secret mission appeared to have been a success.

However, under the detailed planning for the operation, the snatch squad with the soldiers from 3 Para were to withdraw rapidly in Land Rovers and rendezvous with a quick-reaction force, waiting south of Sangin village. The quick-reaction force consisted of about 30 Gurkhas and other paratroopers armed with 105mm light guns, the only artillery the British forces have taken to Afghanistan.

The defence sources said that as the two units were approaching each other in the pitch dark, they were ambushed by dozens of Taleban fighters who must have been contacted following the successful snatch of four of their leaders. Some reports suggested there were at least 75 Taleban fighters, armed with rocket-propelled grenades, machineguns and AK47 Kalashnikov rifles.

The sources said that in the dark it was unclear exactly how many Taleban were involved, but they emphasised that they held the advantage as they were opening fire on the British troops from well-concealed ambush positions.

A full-scale battle ensued, with British troops coming under sustained fire for more than a hour. One soldier involved in the battle told The London Evening Standard: "We stood and fought very hard."

During the firefight, two of the Taleban commanders seized from the compound managed to escape, and the other two were killed. The defence sources said the two dead Taleban commanders were probably hit in the crossfire.

It was during the firefight that the two special forces soldiers were also killed. One of them was believed to be part of the special forces support group which was set up last year to provide extra firepower for SAS and SBS operations. The SAS and SBS are operating together in southern Afghanistan.

The British troops called for airpower to attack the Taleban ambush positions, and the major assault only came to an end when an RAF Harrier GR7 from Kandahar and an Army Air Corps Apache attack helicopter arrived overhead to pound the Taleban fighters. Up to 30 Taleban were killed, according to the defence sources.

Brigadier Ed Butler, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, said: "The two soldiers [who died] acted with great courage and outstanding personal bravery, given the odds they faced."

The plan had been to take the Taleban leaders down to the British base at Camp Bastion at Lashgar Gah for interrogation. However, despite the escape by two of them and the deaths of the other two, Brigadier Butler said the operation had been a success, and would help to restore security to the people of Sangin, acknowledged to be a Taleban hotspot.

Intelligence sources said it was estimated that about 1,000 Taleban fighters had come into Helmand province from Pakistan in the last few weeks, underlining the scale of the challenge the British troops are now facing.

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