LONDON (AP):

Prince Harry's admission that he killed Taliban fighters while working as a helicopter gunner in Afghanistan drew intense British media coverage yesterday and sparked concerns about possible reprisals.

The 28-year-old prince spoke in a pooled interview published late Monday after he was safely out of Afghanistan. He had spent the last 20 weeks deployed as a co-pilot and gunner in a heavily armed Apache attack helicopter.

Asked if he had killed from the cockpit, the third-in-line to the British throne said: "Yeah, so, lots of people have."

The response was immediate yesterday: The Daily Mirror tabloid ran a page-one headline 'Royal Sensation Harry: I Killed Taliban' along with a photo of a macho-looking Harry in combat gear and designer shades.

Other newspapers ran similar gung-ho stories about the prince's military exploits. 'Harry: I Have Killed' was the story in the Daily Mail.

A video shot during the prince's deployment was shown dozens of times on Britain's major news networks.

In parliament yesterday, Defence Minister Mark François praised Harry, saying the prince should be commended for his bravery.