British Special Forces Accused of Abusing Prisoners and Killing Civilians in Afghanistan

A British inquiry into the Afghanistan war has revealed disturbing new allegations against British special forces, including prisoner abuse and the killing of civilians. The investigation focuses on alleged war crimes committed by these forces between 2010 and 2013, as well as attempts to cover up the incidents afterward.

Christopher Green, a British Army reservist who served in 2012, testified that three brothers from the village of Rakhim were killed during an arrest operation. Intelligence concluded the brothers were innocent farmers, not Taliban members as initially claimed. When Green raised concerns, he was met with hostility and labeled a "soft Taliban sympathizer." Despite having clearance, he was denied access to footage of the shooting. The government later paid the brothers' mother approximately £3,634 in a "support payment," which Green viewed as an implicit admission of wrongful killing.

Another witness, former journalist Monica Grenfell, who worked alongside the special forces in support roles, described soldiers throwing prisoners off forklifts "for fun." She said the environment was the harshest she had encountered, with little oversight and extreme language used by the troops.

The inquiry also examines whether unlawful actions were properly investigated or deliberately concealed. Two major investigations, Operation Northmoor and Operation Sestero, costing around £10 million and launched in 2014, looked into allegations including summary executions and child killings. Despite referrals to military prosecutors, no charges have been filed.

The British Ministry of Defence stated the government is fully committed to supporting the independent inquiry and thanked all current and former security personnel who have testified. It emphasized the need for transparency and accountability while allowing the investigation to conclude before issuing a full response.