A Special Forces unit had a ‘golden pass allowing them to get away with murder’, a former senior military officer told a public inquiry.
The claim has emerged in documents released from closed sessions of the Independent Inquiry into Afghanistan, which is investigating allegations of historical war crimes.
The High Court has heard evidence that as many as 80 Taliban suspects were executed in custody by UK soldiers in Helmand Province from 2010 to 2013.
The court papers revealed that a whistleblower from a Special Forces unit described his concerns about the activities of British troops.
When asked by counsel why there were so many suspicious shootings, he suggested United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) seemed ‘beyond reproach’.
The witness, who was identified only by the cypher N2107, added that it was as if the SAS had ‘a golden pass allowing them to get away with murder’.
He raised concerns in 2011 after finding it difficult to believe summaries of shooting incidents provided by those who were involved.
N2107 explained he wondered why the number of Enemy Killed in Action (EKIA) was much higher than the numbers of weapons recovered by British troops.
A British Special Forces unit had a ‘golden pass allowing them to get away with murder’, a former senior military officer told a public inquiry (file image)
The High Court has heard evidence that as many as 80 Taliban suspects were executed in custody by UK soldiers in Helmand Province from 2010 to 2013 (file image)
His evidence was heard in closed sessions of the inquiry, which is being led by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and which was commissioned in 2022 by then-defence secretary Ben Wallace.
Another witness told the court he thought ‘on at least some operations’ a British unit ‘was carrying out murders’.
One method was apparently to put a pillow over the head of a captive Afghan before shooting them with a pistol. Some alleged victims were aged 16 or younger.
It also emerged in the documents how a particular witness objected to the presence of certain Ministry of Defence representatives in the court room.
Witness N1799 requested a list of everyone present and objected to three names, including that of a senior general.
Lord Justice Haddon-Cave ruled these individuals should not be present so N1799 would feel comfortable giving evidence.
The witness had ‘indicated concerns for his personal safety and wellbeing’. British Special Forces units are suspected of conducting extra-judicial killings to eliminate Taliban bombmakers.
British Special Forces units are suspected of conducting extra-judicial killings in a bid to eliminate Taliban bombmakers (file image)
More than 100 British troops were either killed or wounded by Improved Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Helmand Province.
Another factor behind the apparent ‘shoot to kill’ policy was the absence of any effective court or prison system.
This meant suspects seized by UK forces would be freed within days. UK Special Forces units allegedly adopted a policy of killing all ‘fighting age males’ they encountered regardless of whether they were armed.
They are said to have placed weapons beside the bodies of the Afghans so it appeared that they had posed a threat.
The inquiry is expected to report either later this year or early next year.