UK MoD Slams BBC Over Docu Showing SAS Shooting Afghans Dead After They Surrendered

For its new investigative documentary, BBC Panorama analyzed hundreds of pages of Special Air Service (SAS) operational accounts to allege that British special forces in Afghanistan repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men under suspicious circumstances.

The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has accused the BBC of putting SAS front-line troops at risk with a new documentary that investigates a series of deadly raids in Afghanistan “where people were shot dead after they surrendered to British forces.”

According to the MoD, BBC Panorama was jumping “to unjustified conclusions from allegations that have already been fully investigated.”

“We have provided a detailed and comprehensive statement to Panorama, highlighting unequivocally how two Service Police operations carried out extensive and independent investigation into allegations about the conduct of UK forces in Afghanistan. Neither investigation found sufficient evidence to prosecute. Insinuating otherwise is irresponsible, incorrect and puts our brave Armed Forces personnel at risk both in the field and reputationally,” an MoD spokesperson said.

It was added that the Ministry of Defense remained “open to considering any new evidence.” However, in the absence of this, “we strongly object to this subjective reporting,” the MoD stated.

The Ministry of Defense said British troops "served with courage and professionalism in Afghanistan."

‘Killed in Cold Blood’

The program SAS Death Squads Exposed: A British War Crime?, broadcast Tuesday, cites uncovered new evidence that prompts the question as to whether some of the shootings carried out by British special forces during night raids in Afghanistan were, in fact, executions.

The hour-long documentary features eyewitnesses claiming that they saw “unarmed Afghans being killed in cold blood.”

A must-watch this week.

British special forces killed hundreds of people on night raids in Afghanistan, but were some of the shootings executions? Richard Bilton uncovers new evidence and tracks down eyewitnesses. https://t.co/EpZg2TJWqz

— Iain Overton (@iainoverton) July 10, 2022

BBC-analyzed SAS operational accounts included reports covering over a dozen "kill or capture" raids carried out by British forces in Afghanistan. Thus, one SAS squadron in Helmand province in 2010 - 2011 is suggested as having unlawfully killed 54 people during night raids in one six-month tour.

Those who served with the specific SAS squadron were cited as confirming the use of so-called "drop weapons" by operatives. AK-47s were purportedly planted at a scene to justify the killing of an unarmed individual.

Other witnesses interviewed for the documentary claimed SAS squadrons competed with each other to get “the most kills.” According to internal emails obtained by the BBC investigation, despite special forces officers being aware of concerns regarding possible unlawful killings, they failed to report these incidents to military police.

Special Air Service

CC BY-SA 3.0 / ComradeJackson / British Special Forces ' S.A.S '

Furthermore, when General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the former head of UK special forces, was briefed on the issue, he purportedly failed to pass on the evidence to the Royal Military Police (RMP), which had already launched a probe into the SAS squadron.

In 2014, Operation Northmoor was tasked with investigating allegations regarding the conduct of British forces in detention-related incidents in Afghanistan during 2005-2013. The RMP, according to the BBC, carried out independent probes as part of the operation, which wrapped up in 2019.

In 2020, the government was urged to open an inquiry once more into alleged misconduct by British forces in Afghanistan after revelations about Australian troops came to light.

A four-year investigation by Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton revealed that service members in Afghanistan had engaged in war crimes, including the killing and torture of civilians and detainees between 2007 and 2013. The Brereton report charged Australia’s elite Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) of engaging in 23 incidents in which 39 Afghans were “unlawfully killed,” and two incidents of “cruel treatment.”

Australia sent troops to Afghanistan alongside the US, UK, and other allies in late 2001 to fight al-Qaeda* and Taliban* militants in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks, and finally pulled out its soldiers in June 2021 as part of the wider Western withdrawal.

However, a UK defense source was cited as saying that the Australian Department of Defense and chief of the Defense Force said in letters to counterparts that, “there are no British service personnel who are persons of interest or affected persons as a result of this Inquiry. The Inquiry makes no recommendations with regard to Australia’s foreign military relationships, foreign military organisations or service personnel from the UK.”

To date, none of the claims have led to prosecutions.

Ahead of the broadcast of its documentary, the BBC said in a statement:

“This is the culmination of a four year investigation, which includes new evidence and eye witness accounts, and is firmly in the public interest. The MoD’s position is reflected fully within the film. We stand by our journalism.”

*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities.