UK Special Forces Under Fire in Afghanistan Killings Probe
British special forces are at the heart of a growing scandal over alleged unlawful killings in Afghanistan. The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed an explosive inquiry into claims of illegal actions by elite troops.
Independent Investigation Launched
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ordered the independent investigation back in December 2022 amid mounting pressure. The probe also targets the Royal Military Police (RMP) for allegedly botching investigations into these serious allegations.
Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, leading the inquiry, recently visited the International Criminal Court in The Hague, signalling the global scale of the scrutiny. The investigation will dig deep into two key RMP operations – Operation Northmoor and Operation Cestro – both previously tasked with probing these claims.
Families Speak Out, More Victims Feared
The inquiry has now moved to formal hearings. Families of eight Afghan victims, including three children, have welcomed the probe, accusing UK forces of unlawful killings between 2011 and 2012.
Lawyers at Leigh Day, representing the families, warn that up to 80 Afghans could have been unlawfully killed by Britain’s top troops from 2010 to 2013. One accused victim, Saifullah, says British forces slaughtered four relatives in February 2011. Another survivor from the Noorzai family claims relatives and a friend died while peacefully having tea in October 2012.
Shock Allegations of Mass Killings
Leigh Day also allege a SAS soldier may have killed 35 Afghan civilians in just six months. Charity group Action on Armed Violence has voiced fears this points to a covert policy targeting males of fighting age during raids, irrespective of actual threat.
Operation Northmoor, launched in 2014 with a £10 million budget, found no charges despite investigating suspected executions by special forces.
This Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence and RMP face a two-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, seeking to restrict access to sensitive evidence, as the brutal truth edges closer to the surface.
