Five SAS soldiers have been arrested by UK military police on suspicion of alleged war crimes committed in Syria.
The Ministry of Defence will not directly comment on the investigation as details of the arrest remain limited.
An MoD spokesperson 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.”
Five SAS soldiers have been arrested by UK military police on suspicion of alleged war crimes committed in Syria
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SAS troops were deployed in Syria during the last decade to support Syrian Democratic Forces.
Members of one of Britain’s top special forces were stationed in the Middle East to fight against Islamic State.
However, defence sources have reportedly confirmed the arrests.
It is not yet known whether the arrests will result in a prosecution however.
SAS troops took on ISIS in the Middle East
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War crime prosecutions against British soldiers have been made exceptionally rare.
However, the quintet of arrests come amid separate scrutiny about SAS activity in Afghanistan.
A public inquiry is examining claims that 80 Afghans were summarily killed by the unit.
The SAS, which is based in Hereford, complete secret operations and conduct risky missions.
The SAS, which is based in Hereford, complete secret operations and conduct risky missions
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Sometimes its troops venture into territory where the UK does not formally acknowledge a military presence.
Government ministers and officials decline to comment on its activities.
The practice, which includes off the record remarks, was introduced in the 1980s.
The director of special forces is only accountable to the Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.