Senior officers in Afghanistan inquiry accused of concealing SAS killings

According to an inquiry, senior UK special forces officers concealed evidence of a "deliberate policy" of murder by the SAS in Afghanistan. The inquiry heard that there were suspicions of SAS wrongdoing, with some officers failing to take adequate action or hinder investigations. Internal emails revealed disbelief at official reports of SAS night raids resulting in Afghan deaths. The inquiry aims to determine if UK special forces carried out executions between 2010 and 2013, and if there was a cover-up of illegal activity. The inquiry also accused the Ministry of Defence of misleading the High Court. The probe was initiated following a BBC Panorama investigation exposing the killing of 54 people by an SAS squadron. Documents from within special forces and military police investigations showed attempts to cover up wrongdoing, including destroying evidence and coaching witnesses. The inquiry is examining the actions of high-ranking military officials who were aware of suspected SAS wrongdoing. Serious suspicions of extrajudicial killings were known at the highest levels of the government. Emails from 2011 expressed skepticism about the official accounts of SAS night raids. The inquiry also accused the Ministry of Defence of misleading the High Court regarding SAS killings and covering up information. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps expressed support for the inquiry. The military police investigating the suspected murders faced operational challenges in Afghanistan. Two military police investigations into SAS killings did not result in any charges.