LONDON, Jan 5: The British Foreign Office is investigating ICRC reports that three British nationals who fought alongside the Taliban and al-Qaeda are in an Afghan prison.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “The men, found in Shibergan prison in northern Afghanistan, have told the Red Cross they are British nationals.”

“We are trying to get further details about their identity and nationality,” she added.

It’s not known as to how many British Muslims have gone to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taliban but the British media reports had earlier suggested their number could be in hundreds.

One London-based ultra extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun had claimed that nearly 1,000 British Muslims had travelled to Afghanistan to take part in the “holy war.”