Bradford MP George Galloway yesterday told of his devastation to learn of the death of a British surgeon he was due to bring home from detention in Syria this week.

Dr Abbas Khan, 32, was seized by government troops in the rebel-held city of Aleppo in November last year after he entered the country on a humanitarian mission without a visa. Mr Galloway (Respect), who had been negotiating with the Syrian authorities to secure Dr Khan's freedom, said he had been due to fly to Damascus to bring him home on Friday.

He said: "I think we will have to wait for clarification on how exactly he died, but this is heartbreaking and devastating news for his family who have been working so hard for so long to secure his release. Particularly because his freedom had been agreed and he was due to return with me in the next few days."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London said it was “urgently seeking” confirmation from the Syrian authorities about Dr Khan’s fate.