Edit and Expansion: Fresh Testimonies Emerge in UK Forces’ Afghanistan War Crimes Inquiry

New witness accounts have surfaced in the ongoing Afghanistan Inquiry, casting further scrutiny on the conduct of UK special forces during the country’s two-decade-long conflict. British media outlets, citing two insiders with direct or secondary knowledge of military operations, have published fresh allegations that include the killing of Afghan civilians, the degrading treatment of detainees, and a subsequent pattern of suppression or downplaying of evidence.

According to a report by Sky News on Tuesday, Christopher Green a former member of the UK Army Reserve testified that during a British forces operation in Rahim village in 2012, three brothers were killed despite intelligence available at the time indicating they were local farmers with no insurgent ties. The report did not specify the Afghan province where Rahim village is situated, leaving questions about the broader geographic and tactical context of the raid.

In a second testimony, Monica Grenfell, a former journalist who embedded with British troops, recounted a disturbing account shared with her by a British soldier. She alleged that Afghan detainees were sometimes placed on the back of military trucks as a form of “entertainment” or informal punishment lifted onto the vehicles, which were then driven at high speed until the individuals were thrown off and fell to the ground. Grenfell stated that such practices were described to her as routine, though she could not confirm whether they followed official protocols or were isolated abuses.

The Afghanistan Inquiry, a statutory investigation established under the Inquiries Act 2005, is currently examining a range of allegations against UK special forces, including unlawful killings, mistreatment of captives, and claims of a coordinated cover-up within military chains of command. The probe has already heard that evidence of possible wrongdoing may have been withheld or misrepresented in internal reviews.

In response to the latest testimonies, the UK Ministry of Defence reaffirmed its support for the inquiry process, stating that it would not comment further on specific allegations until the investigation has formally concluded. A spokesperson emphasized that the MOD is cooperating fully with the inquiry and is committed to transparency, while also underscoring that all personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of conduct.

The inquiry is focused on operations carried out between 2010 and 2013, a period of intense counterinsurgency warfare in Afghanistan’s southern and eastern provinces. Earlier this year, on May 29, the inquiry released evidence from an investigation alleging that UK special forces may have unlawfully killed as many as 80 Afghan civilians during that timeframe a figure that has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and Afghan civil society organizations.

Further reports have also emerged in recent months quoting unnamed former members of UK special forces who allegedly admitted to committing war crimes not only in Afghanistan but also in Iraq. These sources claimed that British troops occasionally killed unarmed individuals “while they were asleep at night” and, in some cases, “executed” children deemed too young to pose any credible threat actions that, if proven, would constitute grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.

The inquiry is expected to continue hearing evidence well into 2026, with potential recommendations for policy reforms, disciplinary measures, and possible prosecutions. Meanwhile, the Afghan survivors and families of the victims have called for independent international oversight, expressing skepticism that a UK-led inquiry can deliver full accountability without external monitoring.

As the hearings progress, the case has reignited broader debates about the conduct of Western forces in post-9/11 conflicts, the adequacy of military oversight mechanisms, and the moral and legal responsibilities of troop-contributing nations in counterinsurgency environments. The final outcome of the inquiry may have lasting implications for UK defense policy, military jurisprudence, and the country’s diplomatic relations with Afghanistan and other conflict-affected states.

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