The British army says it has killed an important Taliban leader in the Afghan province of Helmand.

It says Mullah Mansur Dadullah was killed by a British rocket attack, launched from Apache helicopters, as he was driving through the desert on Tuesday. The attack had been under preparation for months by the British security services.

The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence said Mullah Mansur Dadullah had been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Afghan civilians and policeman and for suicide attacks on British and Afghan troops. British Defence Secretary John Hutton said his death was a "significant blow to the Taliban."