Overview

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed that nine UK special forces soldiers are under investigation for alleged war crimes in Syria, with a separate case involving an individual in Afghanistan.
• The allegations include the killing of a suspected terrorist in Syria over two years ago, where senior officers claim excessive force was used instead of an arrest.
• A Freedom of Information request by The Times led to the disclosure of two cases in Syria, one involving eight soldiers and the other involving a single servicemember.
• The MoD initially withheld the information, citing concerns over military effectiveness, but reversed its decision following an internal review.
• The investigations come as UK special forces face broader scrutiny, including a public inquiry into alleged unlawful killings in Afghanistan during past operations.