9 individuals of UK particular forces may face prosecution over alleged struggle crimes related to a minimum of two separate incidents in Syria, in line with Ministry of Defence (MoD) knowledge observed by means of the BBC.
The knowledge, which was once at the beginning acquired by the use of a Freedom of Data request by means of The Occasions newspaper, displays that two circumstances are being reviewed by means of the Carrier Prosecuting Authority (Spa), the army an identical of the Crown Prosecution Carrier.
One case comes to one particular person, whilst some other comes to 8 people.
The MoD didn’t divulge main points of the circumstances, or whether or not they concerned singular or a couple of incidents.
UK Particular Forces had been deployed on operations in opposition to Islamic State (IS) in Syria throughout the previous decade – however the MoD does no longer touch upon operations or the whereabouts of particular forces troops.
An MoD spokesperson stated: “Our UK group of workers are revered international for the very best requirements and motion will probably be taken in opposition to someone that fails to satisfy those requirements, together with dismissal from carrier, the place suitable.
“It could be irrelevant to remark additional on ongoing investigations.”
In March 2024, it emerged that 5 serving SAS squaddies had been underneath investigation over an incident involving allegations of possible struggle crimes in Syria greater than two years in the past.
In keeping with the Day by day Mail, the incident associated with an operation involving the killing of a suspected jihadist, whose frame was once discovered almost about a primed bomb vest – however he was once no longer dressed in the vest when killed.
The SAS squaddies concerned are alleged by means of superiors to have used over the top power and must have arrested the person as an alternative of killing him, the Mail reported. The warriors are stated to have claimed he posed a danger and supposed to hold out a suicide assault.
It’s unclear if this earlier-reported case is equal to the only involving 8 people.
Along with the circumstances in Syria, the MoD knowledge unearths that the Spa may be bearing in mind a case on the subject of a distinct forces particular person in Afghanistan. Once more, main points weren’t supplied of this example.
A public inquiry is being held into the actions of the SAS throughout their time in Afghanistan.
The Unbiased Inquiry in relation to Afghanistan – introduced within the wake of reporting by means of the BBC and different media shops – is investigating whether or not UK Particular Forces killed civilians and unarmed other people on night time raids in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.
