Five SAS soldiers arrested in Syria war crimes investigation

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Five members of the British particular forces are being investigated for committing suspected war crimes throughout operations in Syria.

The serving Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers had been arrested by the British navy police and being investigated for allegedly taking pictures lifeless a suspected militant two years in the past.

Top officers alleged that the troops used extreme power and will have arrested the suspected militant as an alternative, Daily Mail reported, citing sources.

A primed suicide vest was reportedly discovered close by however the suspect was not carrying it on the time of the taking pictures. The soldiers preserve that the person posed a menace and supposed to hold out a suicide assault.

Following an preliminary investigation by the Defence Serious Crimes Unit, the case recordsdata recommending prosecution for homicide costs in opposition to the soldiers have been despatched to the Service Prosecuting Authority, in accordance with the report.

The Ministry of Defence has not commented immediately on the continuing probe, however mentioned “we hold our personnel to the highest standards and any allegations of wrongdoing are taken seriously”.

The elite forces have been actively deployed in Syria and Iraq for over a decade to battle in opposition to the Islamic State (Isis) terrorist group.

In 2018, Sergeant Matt Tonroe was killed whereas embedded with US forces in Syria. It was the primary dying of a British service personnel since a global coalition launched operations in opposition to Isis in 2014.

The Ministry of Defence mentioned it was initially believed that Sgt Tonroe was killed by enemy motion, nonetheless subsequent investigation concluded that he was killed by the unintended detonation of explosives carried by coalition forces.

The SAS was additionally being investigated for allegedly killing dozens of individuals throughout counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province in the final decade.

According to BBC Panorama, SAS soldiers allegedly killed detainees and unarmed males in suspicious circumstances.

Last month, veterans minister Johnny Mercer informed the Afghan inquiry that he didn’t wish to consider studies that the elite British soldiers had killed unarmed civilians, however he was “unable” to search out “something to disprove these allegations”.

Mr Mercer informed the unbiased investigation he was conscious of allegations in opposition to a particular forces unit, recognized to the inquiry as UKSF1, from way back to 2009.

When he tried to research the claims throughout his time as a junior minister, he discovered that there was a “lack of professional curiosity to get to the bottom of it”.

The Independent has reached out to the Ministry of Defence for a remark.