An independent inquiry has opened in London to investigate claims that British special forces carried out unlawful killings of Afghan men during counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. The families of those killed allege that they were innocent and unarmed civilians, calling on the inquiry to uncover the truth. The investigation will hear submissions on behalf of the families of 33 people, including eight children, who were allegedly killed by special forces.

UPDATE: British #SASInquiry #Afghanistan

- UK special forces killed nine people "in their beds" during an Afghan night raid
- UK special forces were accused of "abusing" night raids in order to commit "numerous" extra-judicial killings - which were allegedly later covered up. https://t.co/FrQHAGbTbI pic.twitter.com/NXDcvTOCap

— Khalil R. Dewan (@KhalilDewan) October 9, 2023

The law firm representing the families argues that there were over 80 suspicious killings by British special forces in Afghanistan during that time period. The inquiry is expected to scrutinize two previous investigations conducted by the Royal Military Police, which closed with no prosecutions. The British military has maintained that soldiers were acting in self-defense during the operations. The specific case being investigated involves an incident in 2011, where nine people were allegedly killed in their beds during a night raid carried out by the Special Air Service (SAS).

The owner of the house invaded on that night described waking up to shouting and gunshots before being taken from his room, interrogated, and beaten by the troops. He was the one who discovered the bodies of his two sons and the others who had been killed. The SAS claims they acted in self-defense after being fired upon, but senior leaders believed there was a practice of killing fighting-age males even if they did not pose a threat. This inquiry was initiated after a BBC Panorama program reported allegations that an SAS squadron had killed 54 individuals over a six-month tour in questionable circumstances.

The investigation aims to address allegations of unlawful killings and potential cover-ups carried out by UK special forces during night raids. It is expected to shed light on the use of excessive force and the proportionality of casualties during these operations. The families of the victims hope that this inquiry will mark an end to the "wall of silence" and obstruction they have faced over the past decade. They seek accountability regardless of the seniority of those involved in the military. The opening of the hearings has brought to light email exchanges between senior officers expressing concerns about the number of casualties and the casual disregard for life.

The inquiry will thoroughly examine the previous investigations conducted by the Royal Military Police and assess whether proper investigations were carried out. British forces were deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 as part of a NATO-led international coalition following the September 11 attacks. Thousands of British troops were sent to Helmand province in 2006 to provide security for reconstruction projects but were quickly drawn into combat operations. After a nearly two-decade campaign, the last UK forces and their NATO allies withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. This inquiry seeks to address allegations of unlawful killings by UK special forces and provide accountability for the victims and their families.