News

Afghanistan Inquiry lifts Restriction Order to permit naming the Special Air Service and Special Boat Service.

The Chair of the Inquiry, the Rt Hon Lord Justice Haddon-Cave has granted an application by the BBC to vary the Restriction Order that prevented the use of Special Air Service (or ‘SAS’), Special Boat Service (or ‘SBS’) in reporting. The Chair concluded that it is “appropriate to reconsider and revoke the August 2023 Restriction Order in relation to the ciphers ‘UKSF1’ and ‘UKSF3’”.

In making this decision, the Chair considered four general questions under Section 19(4) of the Inquiries Act 2005.

The Chair is satisfied that:

• The evidence does not establish that removing the Restriction Order over the terms ‘SAS’ and ‘SBS’ would materially increase the risk of harm or damage to National Security.

• Maintaining the ciphers ‘UKSF1’ and ‘UKSF3’ would significantly inhibit the ability of the Inquiry to allay public concern.

• No longer imposing these restrictions would not delay or impair the efficiency or effectiveness of the Inquiry or result in additional cost.

• That imposing the said restrictions is no longer conducive to the Inquiry fulfilling its Terms of Reference, or necessary in the public interest.

The Chair of the Inquiry has refused a Further Application made by the BBC to vary the Restriction Order that prevents the media from naming two senior UK Special Forces personnel. In making this decision, the Chair considered the four general questions under Section 19(4) of the Inquiries Act 2005. The Chair remains satisfied that:

• There is a material risk of harm or damage (including damage to National Security) if the restriction which requires the use of nominals when referring to the Individuals is lifted.

• Maintaining the use of the nominals in relation to the Individuals would not significantly inhibit the ability of the Inquiry to allay public concern at this stage (i.e prior to the Chair reaching any evidential conclusions).

• Continuing to impose said restrictions would not delay or impair the efficiency of effectiveness of the Inquiry or result in additional cost.

• Continuing to impose these restrictions remains conducive to the Inquiry fulfilling its Terms of Reference, and necessary in the public interest.

The Chair made clear in his August 2023 Ruling that he would “keep all Restriction Orders under review during the course of the Inquiry to ensure that they remained fit for purpose as the Inquiry progressed”.

The Chair’s decision only applies to the identification of Special Air Service (or ‘SAS’), Special Boat Service (or ‘SBS’) and to permit the use of the term ‘squadron’. The true identities of specific squadrons remain restricted. Existing protections for individual anonymity and operational detail remain firmly in place. Any reporting of the identities of ciphered witnesses remains a breach of the Restriction Order. The Inquiry will continue to monitor media reporting to ensure that Restriction Orders in place are adhered to.

The Inquiry has published three OPEN summaries of evidence from witnesses who were heard in CLOSED hearings during the Concerns and Complaints Part Two phase of the Inquiry, this is a continuation of the evidence summaries published in December 2025.

The Concerns and Complaints Part Two CLOSED phase of work focused on eight individuals who held key posts within UK Special Forces during the period of mid-2010 to mid-2013. The evidence they gave related to concerns that were raised about the techniques, tactics and procedures used by UK Special Forces to conduct deliberate detention operations in Afghanistan. The remaining evidence summary will be published in 2026.

The Inquiry also heard evidence regarding allegations of extra judicial killings which were raised by the Afghan Partner Unit and a Third-Party Entity. These witnesses provided a written statement to the Inquiry following a Rule 9 request (under the Inquiry Rules 2006) and gave evidence in CLOSED hearings during the summer of 2024.

The Inquiry has published redacted written statements, redacted documents (such as email correspondence) and a summary of the CLOSED hearing transcripts. The summaries of the CLOSED hearing transcripts have been redacted to protect the identity of the witnesses and for reasons of National Security.

The Chair’s grants anonymity to all of the witnesses who gave evidence. It prevents the publication of their identities, or any information that might lead to their names becoming known. For the avoidance of doubt, where documents published by the Inquiry have been redacted and a cipher placed over any entry, the Restriction Order prevents the publication or dissemination of the underlying information. As set out in the Restriction Order, the High Court and Court of Session have the power to imprison or fine anyone for any breach of the Order.

The Terms of Reference make clear the requirement to investigate and report on extremely serious allegations, namely;

• Whether extra judicial killings were carried out in Afghanistan by British Special Forces during mid 2010-mid 2013;
• Whether they were covered up, and
• Whether the investigation carried out by the Royal Military Police was fit for purpose.

It is vital for the Afghan families and for UK Special Forces that these allegations are examined thoroughly, and the true facts are established.

The Inquiry is grateful to those who have come forward to give evidence. If you require support, there are services provided by the Ministry of Defence, or accessible though the regimental associations. You can also find alternative services which are listed on the Inquiry website.

If anyone has any information that they think may be relevant to our investigation, they should contact the Inquiry using the secure methods detailed on our website. You can do this confidentially and anonymously. Your contribution will be treated with the utmost care and may provide further detail or context to the relevant issues. Different perspectives can be highly valuable to assist the Inquiry.

The Chair of the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, the Rt Hon Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, has granted Core Participant (‘CP’) status to five individuals who held command roles or senior positions within UK Special Forces between mid-2010 and mid-2013.

The Inquiry will not publish the ciphers of the five individuals who have been granted CP status at this stage. The Chair has indicated that there may come a point when it is necessary for these ciphers to be disclosed in OPEN.

The Inquiry commissioned a preliminary expert report into Operation Northmoor, the Royal Military Police investigation into allegations arising from operations in Afghanistan.  The report was authored by the former Chief Constable of Kent Police, Alan Pughsley QPM.  Mr Pughsley also gave OPEN evidence to the Inquiry in January 2025. This report concluded that Operation Northmoor was poorly led, inadequately resourced, and failed to meet the standards expected of a major investigation.

The report does not make findings that unlawful killings occurred, nor does it determine criminal liability for any individual. Instead, it sets out in detail how Mr Pughsley considers that structural weaknesses, leadership failures and repeated changes in strategy and personnel undermined the investigation’s effectiveness from an early stage.

In accordance with its Terms of Reference, the Inquiry has today published details of how it will consider the Law of Armed Conflict.

The Inquiry has engaged leading international law expert Professor Tim McCormack to assist the Chair in understanding the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict and International Criminal Law

Professor McCormack has been instructed to consider and provide written OPEN submissions on a list of topics.

The Chair will then determine the relevant international and domestic legal framework in the light of all the evidence and submissions.

All submissions will be published on the Inquiry website in due course

The Chair of the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, the Rt Hon Lord Justice Haddon-Cave has today published a call for information directly to the Afghan families who are affected by the Inquiry’s work.

The video, which has been translated into Dari and Pashto in written and audio form, is available to view on the Inquiry’s YouTube account.

In the video, the Chair explains the work of the Inquiry and invites anyone who feels they have any relevant information concerning the Inquiry’s work, to get in touch.

The Inquiry has published four OPEN summaries of evidence from witnesses (N1466, N1803,
N2444 and N5461) who were heard in CLOSED hearings during the Concerns and Complaints
Part Two phase of the Inquiry.

The Concerns and Complaints Part Two CLOSED phase of work focused on eight individuals
who held key posts within UK Special Forces during the period of mid-2010 to mid-2013. The
evidence they gave related to concerns that were raised about the tactics, techniques and
procedures used by UK Special Forces to conduct deliberate detention operations in
Afghanistan. The remaining evidence summaries will be published in 2026.
The Inquiry also heard evidence regarding allegations of extra judicial killings which were
raised by the Afghan Partner Unit and a Third-Party Entity. These witnesses provided a written statement to the Inquiry following a Rule 9 request (under the Inquiry Rules 2006) and gave evidence in CLOSED hearings during the summer of 2024.

The Inquiry has published redacted written statements, redacted documents (such as email
correspondence) and a summary of the CLOSED hearing transcripts. The summaries of the
CLOSED hearing transcripts have been redacted in order to protect the identity of the
witnesses and for reasons of National Security.

The Chair of the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, has shared a 2025 progress update. A video summary is available on the Inquiry’s YouTube channel Inquiry Update – October 2025 – YouTube

Highlights include:

• Rejection of MOD’s request to delay publication and impose blanket redactions.
• Upcoming release of CLOSED hearing evidence on Special Forces operations and alleged Extra Judicial Killings.
• Potentially important information disclosure pauses Deliberate Detention Operations hearings.
• Multi-disciplinary forensic expert review of documents and imagery underway.
• Forensic examination of the alleged wiping of IT server ‘ITS1’ linked to Operation Northmoor.
• Ongoing legal challenge to Green Hearings ruling – procedural judgment has been published.  Next hearing likely in the New Year.

The Inquiry has today published a Ruling made by the Chair of the Inquiry, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, in relation to the Ministry of Defence Corporate Team (“MODCT”)’s application to restrict publication of the Alan Pughsley Report; an Executive Summary, Addendum Report, and various supporting documents (“the Pughsley Material”).

A full summary can be found here, the full Ruling can be found here.