SAS soldiers being placed 'in real danger' by war crime inquiries in the courts, senior officers warn, saying hostile states and terrorists are exploiting legal proceedings to 'weaken' special forces

Résumé détaillé

Special Air Service soldiers and their families are being placed in 'real danger' due to a High Court inquiry into allegations of war crimes, senior officers have warned.

Published: 13:00 GMT, 13 November 2026 | Updated: 14:25 GMT, 13 November 2026

SAS soldiers and their families are being placed in ‘real danger’ by a High Court inquiry into allegations of war crimes, senior officers have warned.

The regimental association has raised fears that Russia and China, as well as terrorist groups, were exploiting legal proceedings at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Hundreds of SAS soldiers past and present are currently being investigated over allegations of illegal engagements in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.

The most serious claims relate to their service in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2013. Soldiers stand accused of scores of Extra Judicial Killings (EJKs) of Taliban suspects in British custody.

But the SAS Regimental Association, which is representing the accused, has written to members with its concerns about ‘hostile state actors’ exploiting the situation.

The findings of the judge-led Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan are expected to trigger a criminal investigation by specialist military police officers. Potentially, soldiers face murder charges and their commanders could be indicted for crimes such as misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice.

The SAS could also suffer the ignominy of one of its four sabre squadrons being disbanded as a collective punishment.

SAS soldiers deployed to southern Afghanistan in 2010 on a top secret mission to eliminate the Taliban's IED networks responsible for roadside bombs that killed and wounded hundreds of British troops.

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