General's words of comfort for parents of tragic aid worker

The commander of international forces in Afghanistan has spoken to the father of Linda Norgrove, offering his condolences for the death of the aid worker who was seemingly killed by a US grenade.

US General David Petraeus, who has been in London for talks with senior political and military leaders, assured John Norgrove and his wife Lorna, from the Isle of Lewis, that they would be kept fully informed of the investigation into the failed rescue mission during a telephone call.

Miss Norgrove, 36, was taken hostage in eastern Afghanistan on 26 September. A full investigation will take place into her death but early indications suggest she escaped her captors and died when a US soldier threw a grenade into the room where she was hiding.

Gen Petraeus said he found it "disturbing" that the original account of the raid – which claimed she had been killed by her Afghan kidnappers – had apparently proved incorrect, but said it was important not to "jump to conclusions" until the inquiry had established exactly what happened.

"This morning I talked with Mr Norgrove and conveyed to him not only the most sincere condolences but also an update on the investigation that is ongoing," he said.

"We will investigate to determine the specific facts in a joint, completely transparent, US-UK effort that will then be shared completely with the Norgrove family as soon as the results are established."

The general received assurances from David Cameron of the UK's commitment to the ongoing work in Afghanistan, after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had expressed concerns about looming defence cuts.

He said: "I have repeatedly received assurances that the support for Afghanistan is iron clad, that it is 'fenced' if you will, and it will be forthcoming."

However, the senior Nato civilian representative in Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, warned that comments by various political leaders in the alliance about when international troops might withdraw were damaging to the mission.

"Having lots of leaders around the alliance naming different dates is, from our perspective, not helpful," he said.

"Clearly it is confusing for the Afghans who we work with, it unsettles them. And it reinforces among the opponents of a legitimate Afghan state that if they just hold on we will be gone."