British military dog gets 'Victoria Cross' for charging al-Qaeda gunman in Afghanistan
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As the British troops came under enemy fire, the dog ran towards one the gunmen, drawing fire and allowing the defending troops to take the advantage.
A British military dog who served alongside UK's soldiers in Afghanistan has been awarded 'Dickin Medal', the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
Kuno, a Belgian Shepherd Malinois, was part of an assault force raiding a compound in an undisclosed mountainous region when he charged through a hail of gunfire to bring down a gunman.
As the British troops came under enemy fire, the dog ran towards one the gunmen, drawing fire and allowing the defending troops to take the advantage.
Retired Military Working Dog Kuno has received the @PDSA_HQ Dickin Medal today for his heroic actions on an operation last year. 🐾🎖️
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) November 24, 2020
Congratulations Kuno! 👏👏👏
Read Kuno’s story 👇https://t.co/lQcq1qbvfQ pic.twitter.com/QB2acdOrxp
The four-year-old received the medal from vet charity the PDSA during a virtual presentation ceremony.
Kuno was injured and underwent several operations before becoming the first UK military dog to be fitted with a custom-made prosthetic limb.
(With inputs from agencies)