Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer has stated at a public inquiry that he was unable to find evidence to refute allegations of war crimes by the SAS in Afghanistan. Mercer, who served with a Special Boat Service (SBS) task force in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009, said he had received warnings from multiple members of special forces that the allegations may be true. The Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan is investigating whether British special forces killed civilians and unarmed people on night raids in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. Mercer said he had sought assurances from UK Special Forces commanders but received “implausible” versions of events. He also stated that he had received a direct account from a serving member of the SBS who said he had been asked to carry a “drop weapon”, a non-Nato weapon that could be planted on the body of someone killed during a mission, to falsely suggest the unarmed victim had posed a threat to British troops.
Not for human consumption
