Newly released evidence from a public inquiry into the deaths of up to 80 people during an SAS deployment in Afghanistan has revealed that concerns over civilian casualties prompted then-President Hamid Karzai to make a "muscular" complaint to NATO commanders. The evidence also showed that Afghan partner military forces were no longer willing to work alongside British troops by the spring of 2011.
Karzai's Complaint to NATO
The statements are contained in redacted and summarised evidence from a special forces staff officer, known only as N1788, who was responsible for reviewing tactics that led to repeated civilian deaths. According to the summary, President Karzai was very "muscular" in addressing the issue of British detention operations with NATO's chain of command.
Afghan Forces Reluctant to Cooperate
The evidence summary noted that "everyone was aware that some of the Afghan partner units were being reluctant to go on operations" with the British special forces sub-unit, known only as SU1. This became a major issue for campaigns across NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, coinciding with the US surge under President Barack Obama to counter the Taliban insurgency. The summary described it as "a known issue and a big deal."
Tactical Concerns
In April 2011, N1788 was asked to review a recurring procedure where Afghan males were called back into family compounds after SAS raids, often at night. On several occasions, these men produced weapons and were killed. N1788 told the inquiry there were concerns the procedure had become an "inefficient practice," with fewer weapons found than Afghans killed. He explained that the tactic, designed to reduce threats, had become counterproductive, directly increasing the propensity for military activity and undermining its de-escalation purpose.
Pressure and Unintended Consequences
Evidence from another soldier, N2252, chief of staff to the UK's special forces director in 2010-2011, highlighted intense pressure to deliver results after many British soldiers were killed in 2010. He stated, "We'd all been to lots of funerals... 100-plus people killed in 2010. We didn't want that to happen again." However, he acknowledged that separating Afghan males during raids led to "unintended consequences."
Inquiry Background
Concerns about SAS conduct in Helmand province have circulated for years, leading to a public inquiry established in December 2022. Hearings began in October 2023, covering UK special forces deployments between 2010 and 2013, but progress has been slow. Most hearings involving former special forces members are held in private, with evidence summarised and redacted to maintain secrecy. The inquiry has also heard allegations that two Afghan adults were shot dead while sleeping with children, and that a British soldier believed the SAS had a policy to "kill all males on target whether they posed a threat or not," a practice known as "flat packing."
