MoD launches inquiry after SAS accused of deliberately killing unarmed men in Afghanistan

15 December 2022, 13:50 | Updated: 15 December 2022, 13:56

An inquiry into allegations of "unlawful activity" by British troops in Afghanistan has been launched by the Government.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace has ordered an independent investigation into "deliberate detention operations" in the country between mid-2010 and mid-2013.

It comes after claims were made against the Special Air Service (SAS), one of Britain's elite special forces units.

This week, it was alleged special forces raided a family home in Afghanistan in 2012, killing two young parents and wounding their young sons, but failed to refer the incident to military police and it was not investigated until now.

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Earlier in the year, the BBC said its investigation found SAS members had repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men in "suspicious circumstances".

The Government has set up Operation Northmoor to investigate claims against British special forces.

Defence minister Dr Andrew Murrison said the new inquiry revolves around two ongoing judicial reviews, in which claims have been made that "allegations of unlawful activity were not properly investigated".

He told the House of Commons on Thursday: "The underlying events have been the subject of comprehensive service police criminal investigations but the MoD accepts that Operation Northmoor should have started earlier and that there may be further lessons to learn from the incidents despite there being insufficient evidence for any prosecutions."

He said serving soldiers, veterans and civil servants will be given legal and pastoral support during the inquiry.

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It comes after the Tories pledged they would protect the armed forces from "vexatious legal claims" in the wake of a series of allegations made against military personnel from their time fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Dr Murrison said the Government is "profoundly grateful for their service today".

Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey said: "Allegations of unlawful killings and cover-ups could not be more serious and this inquiry is essential to protect the reputation of our British special forces, to guarantee the integrity of military investigations and to secure justice for any of those affected."

The inquiry will be led by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and begin in early 2023.