UK Special Forces Accused of Afghanistan War Crime Cover-Up by Former Senior Officer in Public Inquiry

UK Special Forces Accused of Afghanistan War Crime Cover-Up by Former Senior Officer

A high-ranking former officer has leveled serious accusations against senior leaders within the United Kingdom's special forces, alleging they orchestrated a cover-up of potential war crimes committed in Afghanistan. Testifying before a public inquiry, the whistleblower claimed that two former directors of Britain’s elite special forces deliberately ignored or suppressed allegations that soldiers unlawfully killed Afghan civilians over a decade ago.

Allegations of Command-Level Knowledge and Inaction

The explosive testimony, made public recently, suggests that commanders at the highest echelons were aware of suspected extrajudicial killings as early as 2011. Rather than reporting these grave claims to military police for proper investigation, they reportedly chose to conceal them. This alleged inaction, the officer stated, allowed the lethal pattern of behavior to persist for at least two more years, casting a shadow over the accountability mechanisms within one of the world's most formidable military units.

The former officer, identified only as N1466 to safeguard his identity, was a top-tier figure within UK special forces. He informed the inquiry that he personally delivered “explosive” evidence indicating criminal conduct by Special Air Service (SAS) troops operating in Afghanistan.

Disturbing Patterns Emerge: Raids and Boasting

His concerns first arose in early 2011 after reviewing operational reports from Afghanistan that revealed a disturbing trend. One particular raid saw nine Afghan men killed, yet only three weapons were recovered – a significant discrepancy. N1466 also recounted hearing soldiers boast during training sessions about systematically eliminating all fighting-age males during missions, irrespective of any actual threat they posed.

N1466 stated he presented his findings to the then-director of special forces, explicitly highlighting the strong potential for criminal behavior. However, instead of initiating a formal investigation, the director allegedly ordered an internal review of tactics. N1466 dismissed this as merely “a little fake exercise” designed to create an illusion of action while effectively burying the truth.

Tragic Consequences and Lingering Questions

The troubling pattern continued even under a second director who took command in 2012. That same year, a horrific incident occurred in Nimruz province: two young parents were fatally shot in their bed during a night raid, while their infant sons, sleeping alongside them, were also shot and severely wounded. This egregious incident, too, went unreported to the police.

Driven by his conscience, N1466 eventually approached military police himself in 2015, expressing profound regret for not having acted sooner. He lamented that if the allegations had been properly addressed from the outset, the “unnecessary” deaths, including those of the two toddlers, might have been prevented.

Ongoing Inquiry and Calls for Fairness

The ongoing inquiry, launched in 2023 following a BBC documentary that exposed one SAS squadron's involvement in 54 suspicious deaths over just six months, is scrutinizing whether approximately 80 Afghan civilians were unlawfully killed by British forces between 2010 and 2013.

Johnny Mercer, the UK’s former veterans minister, commented on the inquiry’s proceedings, stressing the importance of fairness. He warned against selectively releasing information that serves a particular narrative. Despite previous military police investigations into similar allegations, no charges have ever been brought. The inquiry continues its crucial work.