AN INDEPENDENT inquiry into disturbing allegations that SAS operatives routinely killed unarmed men during the Afghanistan war will begin early next year, a minister announced today.

Defence minister Andrew Murrison said the statutory inquiry will investigate alleged unlawful activity by military personnel during detention operations, also known as “kill or capture” raids, between mid-2010 to mid-2013. 

The probe will also look at allegations that the killings were subsequently covered up by senior officers.

The announcement follows a BBC investigation earlier this year which found evidence of SAS operatives executing dozens of Afghan detainees and unarmed men in “cold blood.” 

The broadcaster also reported that a former head of special operations had allegedly failed to pass on evidence of this to the military police despite an ongoing murder investigation. 

Mr Murrison said the probe has been launched in response to two ongoing court cases relating to claims that unlawful activity by SAS squadrons was not properly investigated. 

He said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) accepts that the government’s own investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, known as Operation Northmoor, should have been opened earlier, and that there may be “further lessons learnt.” 

The new probe, which is due to start work in early 2023 and will be chaired by senior judge Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, was welcomed by shadow defence secretary John Healey.

However Mr Healy raised concerns about the MoD’s commitment to ensuring that the inquiry succeeds in getting the truth. 

“Too often the MoD responds with denial and delay,” he said.

“When confronted with the BBC Panorama reports about these allegations in July the MoD immediately dismissed them, as I quote: ‘Irresponsible, incorrect and jumping to unjustifiable considerations’.” 

Responding to doubts about the independence of the probe, Mr Murrison assured the house that the inquiry would be “fully independent.”