Soldier who went missing identified by Ministry of Defence

A British soldier found dead after going missing in southern Afghanistan has been named by the Ministry of Defence as Highlander Scott McLaren.



He was a member of 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland. His next of kin have been informed of his death.

The soldier, from the Sighthill area of Edinburgh, had left his post in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan alone in the early hours of Monday morning.

The 20-year-old was later found dead with bullet wounds.

He had disappeared from a Nato checkpoint in central Helmand province, sparking a massive 17-hour search. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear.