A BRITISH soldier killed in Afghanistan on Saturday was described by his family last night as a “committed soldier and a committed Muslim”.

Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, 24, of the Intelligence Corps, died alongside Corporal Peter Thorpe, 27, of the Royal Corps of Signals, when their base in Sangin, Helmand province, came under Taleban attack.

Lance Corporal Hashmi, who was born only 40 minutes from the Afghan border in Pakistan, became the first British Muslim soldier to be killed in action in modern times.

Zeeshan Hashmi, 27, his brother, paid tribute to the serviceman. “He was fiercely proud of his Islamic background and he was equally proud of being British. He went to Afghanistan to build bridges between East and West. He always wanted to serve his country since he was a little boy.”

Lance Corporal Hashmi’s mother, Imtiaz Bano, 55, broke down in tears at the family’s terraced home in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. Comforting her, Zeeshan said: “My mother is devastated. All she wants is her son back.”

Like Lance Corporal Hashmi, Zeeshan and his three sisters were born in Peshawar province. Zeeshan said: “He was very excited to get back there and experience the culture. But as a Muslim, Jabron always used to say that when it’s time to go, then it’s time to go.”

His sister Zoubia, 29, said that her brother had been hoping to take their mother on a pilgrimage to Mecca. “My brother was a very mischievous person who could make you laugh or cry in a second. His best quality was his generosity,” she said. “Jabron wanted to join the British Army as a young boy growing up in Pakistan. He was proud of his role as a serving soldier and looked forward to his deployment to Afghanistan.

“He felt privileged to represent the Army as a Muslim British Pakistani who wanted to use his background and position to contribute at a time where there exists a lack of understanding of cultures, ideologies and religious identities.

“He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends and everyone who knew him. Even though it is a tragic loss, we are grateful to Allah for having Jabron for the last 24 years.”

Lance Corporal Hashmi, who was single, joined the Army in June 2004, one of about 10,000 Muslims now serving in the three Armed Forces, 5 per cent of the total manpower.

He came to Britain in 1994, at the age of 12, with his father, Ishtiaq Hussain Hashmi, who had a British passport, brother and three sisters, Zoubia, Absa, now 20, and Tajalla, 19. Their mother required a residence visa and settled in Britain only four years ago. Zeeshan also served in the British Army, leaving after five years as a corporal in the Intelligence Corps, including two tours in Afghanistan. He is studying Arabic at Cambridge University.

In Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Hashmi was attached to the Royal Signals, working with the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment battle group.

Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Vickery, commanding officer of 14th Signal Regiment, said that he displayed “all the qualities of a first-class soldier”.

He added: “He was brimming with confidence and hugely keen to take part in all the training prior to the operation.”

Corporal Thorpe, who lived in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, joined the Army as an apprentice tradesman in August 1995 and after completing his signals training was posted to 216 Parachute Signal Squadron in 5 Airborne Brigade. He completed one tour in Afghanistan in 2001.

Colonel Vickery said that Corporal Thorpe had recently been selected for promotion to sergeant and was “a highly motivated, talented and tremendously popular soldier”.

He was a patrol commander in Afghanistan in support of 3 Para battle group.

The family of Corporal Thorpe were too distraught to speak about their loss. The curtains were drawn at their terrace home on Walney Island, Barrow, and a soldier who answered the door said that the family did not yet want to make a statement.

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