British troops help fight off Taliban attack on Afghan military base housing Prince Harry A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence in London said: "After swift action by ISAF forces, which included UK personnel, the incident was contained." It is understood that the British troops were directly involved in the exchanges of fire. A number of aircraft, hangars and other buildings at the base were hit and badly damaged by insurgent fire. A Taliban spokesman said the attack was in revenge for an amateur film that mocked Islam, and because Prince Harry was known to be at the base. The Prince, who was deployed recently, is not believed to have been involved in the fighting, which came after the Taliban fighters managed to break through an outer fence and attack the airfield inside the base. The coalition base comprises the British Camp Bastion and the American Camp Leatherneck, and accommodates more than 21,000 people. Camp Leatherneck itself, which was built to cope with the extra US troops, measures 13 sq miles. British troops are understood to provide security for the main runway on the American camp. Rockets and mortar were fired from outside, damaging buildings and aircraft. As well as the deaths, a number have been reported wounded. The forces said Bastion had not been breached. A soldier from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was killed in Afghanistan yesterday after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb, unrelated to the attack at Camp Bastion in which two US Marines were killed, the MoD stressed. The Guardsman died when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province. Earlier this year, an Afghan worker made an attempt on the life of US defence secretary Leon Panetta by driving at his plane as he landed at Camp Bastion. The car burst into flames as it drove towards a welcoming committee, injuring a British serviceman. The brazen Taliban attack launched against the base is now the subject of a full security investigation. Capable of accommodating up to 20,000 troops, it was built in 2003 in a flat, isolated desert location that was chosen specifically for security reasons. There are no towns or hamlets close by and soldiers on guard should have a clear view of anyone approaching from miles around. The base is also ringed by a 30 foot concrete wall topped with double concertina barbed wire. Watchtowers are positioned every 100 yards inside, with an array of sensors designed to identify any movement beyond the perimeter. Bastion also has its own designated guard force who are responsible for security and regularly patrol the perimeter. While there have been insurgent attacks in the past, the Taliban have never been able to physically breach the camp walls.