Families of Afghan civilians are raising serious concerns about what they describe as a pattern of non-cooperation from Special Air Service personnel in an ongoing inquiry into alleged war crimes, following explosive testimony from a senior military officer.
The families, who allege that SAS units conducted systematic killings of innocent civilians during operations in Afghanistan, say their pursuit of justice is being hampered by soldiers who are “refusing to give evidence” to investigators examining the controversial cases.
These concerns have intensified following closed-door testimony to the Afghanistan Inquiry by a high-ranking officer, who made the stunning allegation that the director of UK Special Forces made a “conscious decision” to conceal potential war crimes from proper scrutiny.
The testimony, delivered during confidential hearings, represents one of the most serious accusations yet leveled against the military establishment’s handling of alleged misconduct by elite forces operating in the conflict zone.
The Afghanistan Inquiry was established to examine claims that SAS soldiers may have unlawfully killed dozens of Afghan civilians during night raids between 2010 and 2013. The investigation has been examining whether there was a systematic cover-up of alleged murders that were subsequently classified as legitimate combat deaths.
For the Afghan families seeking answers about their loved ones’ deaths, the apparent reluctance of military personnel to participate fully in the inquiry process represents another significant obstacle in their long battle for accountability.
The allegations center around operations conducted during some of the most intense periods of the Afghan conflict, when British special forces were conducting frequent night raids targeting suspected insurgents. Critics have questioned whether proper rules of engagement were followed and whether evidence of potential war crimes was deliberately suppressed.
The inquiry continues to examine evidence and testimony from various sources as investigators work to establish the full scope of what occurred during these controversial military operations and whether there were systematic attempts to prevent proper investigation of the incidents.
The British Ministry of Defence has previously stated that all allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly, though the ongoing inquiry suggests significant questions remain about the adequacy of previous investigations into these matters.
