SAS War Crime Inquiry Shown New Images of Suspects Shot in Afghanistan
New photographic evidence, purportedly showing individuals shot in the head while lying on their backs, has been introduced to the public inquiry examining alleged unlawful killings by British SAS soldiers in Afghanistan.
Richard Hermer KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, underscored the significance of these images, stating they represent "essential evidence" for the investigation. The inquiry is specifically scrutinising allegations that SAS units conducted summary executions of unarmed Afghans and fabricated reports to conceal these actions during counter-insurgency operations between 2010 and 2013.
During its initial public hearings, the inquiry heard that some of the photographs were captured on the mobile phones of SAS personnel. These images have surfaced amidst long-standing accusations, first highlighted by independent investigations, of a pattern of extrajudicial killings by elite British forces in the region. The Ministry of Defence has consistently maintained that all operations were conducted lawfully, yet the repeated emergence of such evidence, often years after the alleged incidents, continues to challenge this official narrative.
