Pictures have emerged of an off-duty British soldier running into the line of fire to save dozens of hostages from a group of violent terrorists who had taken over a hotel in Kenya.
With his face covered by a black balaclava, the lone soldier burst into the building and was captured on camera pulling injured hostages out of the hotel, before heading back in to confront the militant group.
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A former SAS operative has praised the unnamed man and says he was simply following the unit's three principals - speed, aggression, and surprise.
Special forces vet Harry McCallion served in the parachute regiment and says there is no doubt that the soldier's actions saved countless lives.
Writing for the Daily Mail, he said: "Yesterday Britain was awestruck by the bravery of the off-duty SAS soldier in jeans, flak jacket and balaclava who'd grabbed his Colt Canada assault rifle, pistol and combat knife from his car while on an errand in Nairobi, and 'run into danger' to help victims of the Al Shabaab terrorist attack in the Kenyan capital.
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"He saved lives, storming buildings, dragging people to safety amid the carnage of the devastating attack. And he fired off rounds at the fanatics, undoubtedly killing a number of them.
"Truly, a hero emerged from this tragedy. But as a former member of the Parachute Regiment, South African special forces and 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, I was not surprised by his behaviour. For he has been trained both mentally and physically to kill with ruthless efficiency."
Harry said training to become a member of the Special Forces is akin to 'going through hell', but will have prepared the masked man for what he encountered in Kenya.
He added: "There's the Killing House, where as a member of the SAS Anti-Terrorist team - our Nairobi hero - will really have honed the skills that saved so many lives. It's where training for close combat is developed and the three words speed, aggression, surprise - or SAS - are drummed into recruits."
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According to reports in the Sun, the SAS operative stormed through the doors of the building in the capital city of Nairobi and is believed to have shot dead members of the militant group, who had detonated explosive devices and shot innocent bystanders during the attack on Tuesday.
The unnamed man is said to have been in the country to support and train the Kenyan Special Forces when news broke of the violent incident at the hotel complex, which claimed the lives of 21 people.
Pictured in jeans, trainers and body armour, the soldier was spotted carrying a rifle as he entered the compound.
An insider told the Sun that the unknown man was indeed a member of the Special Forces and almost certainly 'hit his target' upon entering the hotel.
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They said: "UK Special Forces always run towards the sound of gunfire. He was there training and mentoring Kenyan forces when the shout went up, so they went in.
"During the operation he fired off some rounds - it's a safe bet he hit his target - the SAS don't miss.
"He is a long serving member of the Regiment, there is no doubt his actions saved lives."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: World News, UK News, Interesting