Guard's body home from Iraq

Family's pride in Iraq guard

The body of a south Wales man who was shot dead in Iraq has been flown back to the UK.

Father-of-one Andrew Harries, 34, from Aberdare, was killed in an ambush while working for a London-based security firm in north Iraq.

His body was flown to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Friday and is being taken to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil for a post mortem examination.

Mr Harries, who died on Tuesday, was a former member of the Territorial Army.

The former soldier was called a "fantastic guy" by rugby executive Leighton Samuel of the troubled Celtic Warriors side, where Mr Harries worked as part of the security team.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales on Thursday, Mr Samuel said he had known Mr Harries well and called him "highly qualified" in health and safety.

"He was a fantastic guy - he was always well respected, he was always on time, always well presented," he said.

"He was efficient and a lovely person, and everyone at the club will miss him."

He was ambushed whilst travelling on the main Mosul to Irbil highway ArmorGroup statement

His half-brother Neil Meade was travelling with him in Iraq at the time of the shooting and has told Mr Harries' family in Wales that he was killed by a single shot.

Mr Meade is said to be traumatised by the killing and is refusing to leave Iraq without his brother's body.

Geoff Harries said: "I found out (he died on Tuesday) and it was a complete shock because I had no idea he was there.

"It was apparently kept from me by Andrew and his brother David so that I wouldn't worry."

Mr Harries added that he had reservations about his son's new career as a security guard.

He added: "I was apprehensive, but what can you do when he is 34?

"I tried to persuade him not to go, but he went."

Mr Harries had a daughter Ella, aged three, who lives with his former partner in Runcorn, Cheshire.

He had been working as a security guard in Iraq for around eight weeks and was due to return home in two weeks' time.

Mr Harries was driving between the cities of Mosul and Irbil

Mr Harries served with the Royal Engineers for 10 years, and was posted to Bosnia, Northern Ireland and served in the first Gulf War before joining the Territorial Army.

The former soldier was working with London-based security firm ArmorGroup at the time of the shooting.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the company said: "We can confirm that at 07.15 BST on Tuesday 18 May, an ArmorGroup employee was fatally shot in Iraq.

"He was providing security support for a valuable Iraqi infrastructure reconstruction project and was ambushed whilst travelling on the main Mosul to Irbil highway."

ArmorGroup director, Christopher Beese, added: "This is a very unfortunate and random loss of life from someone who was protecting civilians and helping put the country back together."

Mr Beese said that Mr Harries had volunteered to work for the company in Iraq.

He added: "We don't advertise, they come to us.

"In many cases, like Andrew, they know what they want to contribute.

"It's something they can do, as much as doctors or humanitarian workers.

"They know what the risks are."

Mr Harries is the second civilian worker from south Wales to be shot dead in Iraq in recent weeks.

Last month, security guard Michael Bloss, 38, from Bridgend, was killed while protecting American contractors.