A public inquiry into the deaths of 80 civilians throughout British operations in Helmand has begun
Members of Britain’s Particular Air Service (SAS) have been accused of capturing useless 9 Afghans whereas they have been sleeping throughout night time raids on Afghan forces between 2010 and 2013. The allegations have been made on the primary day of a public inquiry into the killing of 80 civilians, The Guardian reported on Monday.
Lead counsel to the inquiry Oliver Glasgow KC targeted on seven lethal missions within the Helmand province of southern Afghanistan that included the deaths of not less than 33 individuals, together with youngsters.
The SAS “carried out a coverage of executing Afghan males of combating age in circumstances the place they posed no fast risk or have been hors de fight [unable to perform combat duties],” Glasgow mentioned.
He added that proof from households “can be that they have been shot in mattress, probably when asleep,” explaining that picture proof suggests they have been shot at shut vary.
One of many raids allegedly occurred within the Nad Ali district of Helmand province on February 7, 2011, as a number of households gathered earlier than a wake, The Guardian reported.
The SAS has insisted it acted in self-defense, claiming the Afghans have been armed. Nonetheless, Glasgow mentioned that extra individuals have been shot within the incident than weapons discovered. He additionally pointed to the low peak of obvious bullet holes within the partitions of an outbuilding. Relations testified that the victims have been unarmed civilians.
The counsel to the London inquiry additionally flagged emails that instructed particular forces officers have been making makes an attempt to cowl up issues in regards to the rising variety of lethal incidents.
It marks the beginning of a course of lengthy sought by the victims that was solely granted after two households took the British authorities to court docket, the outlet reported.
Final December, the UK Ministry of Protection introduced it was launching an unbiased investigation into allegations that the British Armed Forces had dedicated conflict crimes in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. UK particular forces are suspected of “abusing” night time raids, which have been meant to focus on Taliban commanders, to commit “quite a few” extra-judicial killings.
In 2019, a army police investigation concluded that no proof of prison wrongdoing had been discovered. Nonetheless, SAS commanders allegedly destroyed laptop information to cowl up potential proof of the crimes.
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