UK special forces possessed 'golden pass' for killing Afghan civilians, says officer
An inquiry revealed that the SAS and other elite UK forces operated under a “shocking” policy of targeting civilians in Afghanistan. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A former service member testified that British troops regarded all fighting-age men as targets, highlighting a troubling aspect of military operations in Afghanistan.
According to the testimony provided to a public inquiry, British commandos had a policy of routinely killing civilians during anti-Taliban raids. These accounts from seven soldiers and commanders were released as part of an investigation into the actions of UK special forces, including the SAS, in Helmand province between 2010 and 2013.
“During these operations it was said that ‘all fighting age males are killed’ on target regardless of the threat they posed, this included those not holding weapons,” stated a soldier identified only as N1799.
Additionally, the witness claimed, “It was also indicated that ‘fighting age males’ were being executed on target, inside compounds, using a variety of methods after they had been restrained.” He recounted a particularly shocking incident where “in one case it was mentioned a pillow was put over the head of an individual before being killed with a pistol.” N1799 expressed his astonishment at “the age and methods” employed to kill Afghans.
The former soldier mentioned that troops often referred to these alleged executions with terms like “flat packing.”
Another former commando asserted that the special forces had a “golden pass allowing them to get away with murder,” as reported by the BBC. None of the soldiers who testified claimed to have witnessed the murders directly, according to Reuters.
The inquiry revealed that some soldiers had voiced concerns regarding the behavior of their comrades. A testimony mentioned by the New York Times indicated that one soldier questioned via email whether SAS units were fabricating scenarios that would justify killing Afghan combatants. Another officer's response reflected a disturbing attitude: “these Afghans are so stupid they deserve to die.”
Legal representatives for bereaved families, the law firm Leigh Day, argued last year that there were at least 30 “suspicious incidents” leading to the deaths of more than 80 individuals.
Following two decades of Taliban insurgency, British and other Western forces exited Afghanistan in 2021. During its military engagement, the UK lost 457 soldiers.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
According to the testimony provided to a public inquiry, British commandos had a policy of routinely killing civilians during anti-Taliban raids. These accounts from seven soldiers and commanders were released as part of an investigation into the actions of UK special forces, including the SAS, in Helmand province between 2010 and 2013.
“During these operations it was said that ‘all fighting age males are killed’ on target regardless of the threat they posed, this included those not holding weapons,” stated a soldier identified only as N1799.
Additionally, the witness claimed, “It was also indicated that ‘fighting age males’ were being executed on target, inside compounds, using a variety of methods after they had been restrained.” He recounted a particularly shocking incident where “in one case it was mentioned a pillow was put over the head of an individual before being killed with a pistol.” N1799 expressed his astonishment at “the age and methods” employed to kill Afghans.
The former soldier mentioned that troops often referred to these alleged executions with terms like “flat packing.”
Another former commando asserted that the special forces had a “golden pass allowing them to get away with murder,” as reported by the BBC. None of the soldiers who testified claimed to have witnessed the murders directly, according to Reuters.
The inquiry revealed that some soldiers had voiced concerns regarding the behavior of their comrades. A testimony mentioned by the New York Times indicated that one soldier questioned via email whether SAS units were fabricating scenarios that would justify killing Afghan combatants. Another officer's response reflected a disturbing attitude: “these Afghans are so stupid they deserve to die.”
Legal representatives for bereaved families, the law firm Leigh Day, argued last year that there were at least 30 “suspicious incidents” leading to the deaths of more than 80 individuals.
Following two decades of Taliban insurgency, British and other Western forces exited Afghanistan in 2021. During its military engagement, the UK lost 457 soldiers.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
