Members of the SAS killed detainees and unarmed people in Afghanistan, according to a new BBC report. The broadcaster says newly obtained reports suggest one unit may have unlawfully killed 54 people during one six-month tour.
The BBC says evidence of the killings was not passed on to a murder inquiry being conducted by the Royal Military Police. BBC Panorama analysed SAS operational accounts and spoke to individuals who served with the SAS squadron in Helmand in 2010/2011.
They said weapons were planted at the scene to justify the killings.
The Ministry of Defence said it could not comment on specific allegations, but that declining to comment should not be taken as acceptance of the allegations' factual accuracy.
An MOD spokesperson said that British forces "served with courage and professionalism" in Afghanistan and were held to the "highest standards".
A senior officer who worked at UK Special Forces headquarters told the BBC: "Too many people were being killed on night raids and the explanations didn't make sense. Once somebody is detained, they shouldn't end up dead. For it to happen over and over again was causing alarm at HQ. It was clear at the time that something was wrong."
Sources told the BBC that the targeting process for night raids was often rushed and could mislabel innocent civilians
In 2014, the RMP launched Operation Northmoor, a wide-ranging investigation into more than 600 alleged offences by British forces in Afghanistan, including a number of killings by the SAS squadron.
Operation Northmoor was wound down in 2017 and eventually closed in 2019. The Ministry of Defence has said that no evidence of criminality was found.
The Ministry of Defence said British troops were held to the highest standards. "No new evidence has been presented, but the Service Police will consider any allegations should new evidence come to light," a spokesperson said.
