Former members of the British Special Forces have come forward with grave allegations of war crimes committed by their colleagues during military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to a detailed investigation by the BBC.

The testimonies, made public for the first time, include accounts of executions of unarmed detainees, killings of sleeping prisoners, the use of fake weapons to stage scenes, and even the killing of children, all allegedly committed by members of elite British units such as the SAS (Special Air Service) and SBS (Special Boat Service).

“He Was No Threat”: Eyewitness Accounts of Civilian Killings

One former soldier who served in Afghanistan described witnessing fellow soldiers tie the hands of a young boy and shoot him, saying, “He was clearly not a threat.” Others claimed that detainees were routinely executed after searches, with weapons planted beside the bodies to fabricate the appearance of combat fatalities.

“The killings became routine,” one witness stated. “They were searched, executed, and weapons were placed next to their bodies to hide the crime.”

Killings of the Wounded and Noncombatants

The report includes disturbing accounts of wounded individuals being executed at close range. In one instance, a paramedic was treating a wounded man when a soldier reportedly approached and shot him in the head.

“There was no hesitation,” the witness said. “They believed they could not be held accountable.”

Another witness accused members of the SBS unit of operating with impunity:

“They acted as though they were above the law.”

BBC: Violations Spanned Over a Decade

According to the BBC, the violations described by veterans spanned more than a decade and involved both the SAS and SBS units, including night raids, unlawful detentions, and direct executions of unarmed or injured individuals.

One former soldier claimed that a fellow Special Forces member kept personal statistics of confirmed kills and had "dozens" of kills in a six-month deployment in Afghanistan.

Fabricated Reports and Avoiding Accountability

Several witnesses alleged that incident reports were routinely falsified to avoid scrutiny from military police.

“We learned how to write reports in a way that wouldn’t trigger investigations,” one said.

The testimonies suggest systematic attempts to cover up abuses, including faked battlefield conditions using staged weapons and misleading accounts in official military documents.

MOD Response and Ongoing Investigations

The UK Ministry of Defence said it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation and urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.

“We remain committed to upholding the law and expect our personnel to adhere to the highest standards of conduct,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Afghan Officials Called for Investigations Years Ago

The BBC also revealed that former Afghan President Hamid Karzai repeatedly urged the UK government to investigate the actions of its Special Forces, especially in connection with night raids, civilian killings, and mass detentions.

Former British Prime Minister David Cameron was allegedly informed of these concerns multiple times. While a spokesperson for Cameron denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of specific violations, Afghan officials and national security advisors confirmed that such matters were raised in formal meetings.

Cameron visited Afghanistan seven times between 2010 and 2013, the period during which many of the alleged incidents are believed to have occurred.

Echoes of Abu Ghraib?

The revelations have raised concerns about a repeat of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, where U.S. forces were found guilty of torture and abuse in Iraq. Rights groups have called for transparent, independent investigations and prosecution of those responsible if the allegations are substantiated.