Five SAS soldiers arrested in Syria war crimes investigation

Five members of the British special forces are being investigated for committing suspected war crimes during operations in Syria.

The serving Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers were arrested by the British military police and being investigated for allegedly shooting dead a suspected militant two years ago.

Top officials alleged that the troops used excessive force and should have arrested the suspected militant instead, Daily Mail reported, citing sources.

A primed suicide vest was reportedly found nearby but the suspect was not wearing it at the time of the shooting. The soldiers maintain that the man posed a threat and intended to carry out a suicide attack.

Following an initial investigation by the Defence Serious Crimes Unit, the case files recommending prosecution for murder charges against the soldiers have been sent to the Service Prosecuting Authority, according to the report.

The Ministry of Defence has not commented directly on the ongoing probe, but said “we hold our personnel to the highest standards and any allegations of wrongdoing are taken seriously”.

“Where appropriate, any criminal allegations are referred to the service police for investigation,” a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry told The Guardian.