British media outlets have reported the release of new documents by a commission investigating the conduct of British special forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. The documents contain allegations of prisoner abuse, violations of military rules, and attempts to conceal evidence.
According to newly released documents from the commission reviewing the conduct of British special forces, several witnesses have alleged that some British special forces personnel carried out acts of violence against detainees during their missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The documents state that some British special forces in Afghanistan tortured detainees for entertainment. Two witnesses also alleged that some special forces personnel placed detainees on forklift forks and then dropped them to the ground by suddenly moving the machinery. According to the witnesses, the act was carried out as a form of amusement.
The documents, released on Tuesday, also quote a former British Army officer who served in Afghanistan as saying that special forces considered themselves above the law and were not subject to some restrictions imposed on other British military personnel, including rules banning alcohol consumption.
In another section, the commission said, citing witnesses, that some British special forces allegedly created “kill lists” and killed a number of unarmed Afghan civilians during night-time operations. According to the witnesses, weapons were placed beside the bodies of victims in order to justify the killings.
The investigation also refers to an operation in Helmand province in which three young Afghan men were killed. The British Ministry of Defence later provided a payment to the victims’ families, but described it as assistance aimed at reducing local tensions rather than compensation.
Asadullah Nadim, a military affairs analyst, has called for investigations and legal action into all cases of human rights violations committed during the war in Afghanistan. He said: “The Afghan government is responsible for ensuring that these crimes, and all cases where countries committed crimes during the war in Afghanistan, are investigated and that those responsible are prosecuted.”
The independent investigation in the United Kingdom was launched in December 2022 after serious allegations emerged regarding possible civilian killings and the concealment of evidence in British special forces operations between 2010 and 2013. However, the inquiry has not yet reached a final conclusion.
