Britain's Ministry of Defence has invited a judge to look into how it handled accusations that members of the SAS were involved in unlawful killings in Afghanistan.
A BBC Panorama documentary this month made serious allegations against British special forces, suggesting that one unit may have wrongly killed 54 people during a tour of Afghanistan.
Defence chiefs said the programme drew "unjustified conclusions" from allegations that had already been investigated and resulted in no prosecutions.
But the ministry has proposed that a senior judge could look into how the claims were handled, a spokesman told the BBC.
Such an inquiry would not review the allegations themselves, although the ministry asked for any new evidence to be passed to military police.
It came after court papers filed on Tuesday, seen by several British media outlets, claimed military investigators had come under "political pressure" not to pursue senior SAS leadership.
The Panorama programme, which aired on July 12, claimed a senior SAS figure failed to pass on evidence to a murder inquiry by military police.
Citing witnesses, written SAS documents and court papers, the BBC investigation claimed that British operatives in Afghanistan "repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men in suspicious circumstances".
Whistleblowers said they saw unarmed people being killed on night raids and weapons allegedly being planted at the scene to justify dubious killings.
The programme claimed other officers were surprised at the high casualty rate given that none of the SAS troops reported injuries in apparent firefights with Taliban militants.
It was alleged that SAS squadrons competed with each other to achieve the highest "body count" during their tours in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defence said an "extensive and independent investigation" into the conduct of British forces had not produced sufficient evidence to prosecute.
"Insinuating otherwise is irresponsible, incorrect and puts our brave Armed Forces personnel at risk both in the field and reputationally," it said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government did not accept or comment on the findings, but that nobody in the armed forces was above the law.
British troops served in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. The 20-year campaign by a US-led coalition ended in humiliation when the Taliban swept back to power last year.
An investigation into the conduct of Australian troops found in 2020 that they were involved in 39 unlawful killings in Afghanistan, with none of them committed in the "heat of battle".
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
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Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
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Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
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- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
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- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
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