Ex-UK special forces veterans expose colleagues’ alleged war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan
Former members of the United Kingdom’s elite special forces have broken years of silence, exposing horrifying accounts of alleged war crimes committed by their colleagues during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In shocking interviews with BBC Panorama, these veterans detailed unlawful killings, including the execution of unarmed detainees, children, and civilians while they slept.
One of the most disturbing testimonies came from a former SAS soldier who described witnessing the cold-blooded killing of a young Afghan boy, visibly a child, who was handcuffed and then shot. According to the veteran, such incidents became routine, with prisoners regularly handcuffed, executed, and weapons planted near their bodies to create the false appearance they were armed threats.
These revelations extend over more than a decade, surpassing the period currently being probed by a judge-led public inquiry in the UK. For the first time, members of the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service (SBS) have also been accused of grave offenses, including executing wounded and defenceless individuals.
An SBS veteran described how a “mob mentality” overtook the ranks, with soldiers exhibiting psychopathic behaviour, acting lawlessly, and believing they were above accountability. “The quietest guys would switch and show serious psychopathic traits. They felt untouchable,” he said.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) told the BBC it supports the ongoing public inquiry and encourages anyone with relevant information to cooperate but refrained from commenting directly on these latest allegations, citing the ongoing investigation.
Over 30 former personnel who served within or alongside UK special forces have provided these detailed testimonies—the most comprehensive public accounts of such allegations to date. This builds on years of BBC Panorama reporting, which has persistently uncovered claims of extrajudicial killings by SAS units.
Panorama also reported that former Prime Minister David Cameron was repeatedly warned during his term about UK Special Forces killing civilians in Afghanistan. Multiple sources, including Afghanistan’s former national security adviser Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta, confirmed that President Hamid Karzai directly raised these concerns with Mr Cameron on several occasions.
Veterans, speaking under strict anonymity due to the entrenched culture of silence within the Special Forces, claimed that both the SAS and SBS deliberately ignored the laws of armed conflict, operating under their own rules. Lethal force was used against individuals who did not pose an immediate threat, with veterans admitting that known targets were often executed rather than captured lawfully.
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A former SAS member described the environment as one where killing became addictive. “There were lots of psychotic murderers. They would go in and shoot everyone sleeping there on entry. It’s not justified,” he said.
Witnesses confirmed that wounded individuals who posed no threat were systematically executed, with one SBS veteran recalling a soldier shooting an injured man at point-blank range as a medic tried to treat him. False reports were routinely written, post-operational paperwork was falsified, and “drop weapons” were planted to justify killings.
Panorama obtained video evidence from Iraq in 2006, allegedly showing SAS soldiers competing in personal kill counts, with one notorious operator killing dozens during a six-month tour.
Despite the serious allegations, the UK lacks formal parliamentary oversight of its Special Forces, unlike the United States and France. Responsibility for their conduct lies directly with the Prime Minister, Defence Secretary, and Head of Special Forces. Former director of service prosecutions, Bruce Houlder KC, stated he hopes the inquiry will fully investigate what Lord Cameron knew.
The inquiry’s conclusions are expected to have major implications for the accountability of the UK’s most secretive military units.
