A British inquiry has heard fresh allegations that UK special forces killed three Afghan farmers and abused detainees during operations in Afghanistan. The claims were published this week as part of an investigation into alleged unlawful killings and a possible cover-up.
The Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan has published redacted evidence from two witnesses. It stressed that publication of the evidence does not amount to a finding of fact and that it is continuing to test the accounts.
A former journalist described what a soldier allegedly told her about the treatment of detainees.
“I specifically recall him telling me that he would put prisoners on a forklift, raise it up and drive very fast so that they fell off. He said that he behaved in the same way in Afghanistan.”
A former British Army officer also raised concerns about the deaths of three brothers during a 2012 night raid in Rahim village. He said his unit's intelligence indicated there was no link between the farmers and the Taliban.
The inquiry heard that the family later received more than £3,600, which the Ministry of Defence described as an "assistance payment" rather than compensation or an admission of liability.
The inquiry is examining whether British special forces carried out extrajudicial killings between mid-2010 and mid-2013, whether those killings were covered up, and whether military police investigations were adequate. Afghan families allege that up to 80 unlawful killings took place.
The UK's Ministry of Defence said the government was supporting the inquiry and would wait for its findings.
“It’s right that we allow the inquiry to complete its important work before responding in full.”
AnewZ contacted the Afghan government spokesperson for comment on the latest evidence but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The government's most recent known response to similar allegations came in May 2025, when spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, “These confessions confirm the same crimes that the occupiers committed in Afghanistan during the past 20 years.”
He also called for justice and compensation for Afghan victims, according to Afghanistan's state broadcaster.
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