Five SAS operatives file complaints after being arrested on murder suspicion in Syria

During a midnight raid in July 2022 aimed at a senior ISIS commander, five SAS members encountered two teenagers working for the group and, believing their lives were at risk, opened fire, killing them. The operatives were subsequently arrested on suspicion of double murder and faced potential life sentences. Over a three-year period they remained under investigation while being deployed on numerous further operations, including helicopter insertions in the Syrian desert.

In the latest development, all five have submitted formal complaints to the Defence Serious Crimes Unit, contending that the investigative process was inappropriate and may have breached the law. They also note that they were sent back into the combat zone merely two days after being questioned by military police. The Ministry of Defence reiterated that investigations must be conducted fairly and that service members can raise concerns through established channels.