The Taliban is focusing all of its efforts on kidnapping or killing Prince Harry, a spokesman for the militant group said today.

The royal, who is a captain in the British Army Air Corps, recently arrived in Afghanistan to begin his second tour of duty as co-pilot of an Apache attack helicopter. He is said to be stationed at Camp Bastion, located in the infamous opium-rich province of Helmand.

"We are using all our strength to get rid of him, either by killing or kidnapping," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by phone. "We have informed our commanders in Helmand to do whatever they can to eliminate him."

Captain Wales, as he has been nicknamed, is set to spend the next four months in the war-torn region.

Britain's Ministry of Defence would not comment on the Taliban's threat, but NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters he was not concerned. "We do everything we can to protect all our troops deployed to Afghanistan whatever might be their personal background," Rasmussen said at a news conference.

Harry's first tour of duty in 2008 ended early after a news blackout meant to keep his front-line movements secret was violated and his safety could no longer be guaranteed.

[photo via AP]