Latest news with #jihadist
Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Telegraph
SAS soldiers cleared of ‘murdering jihadist' in Syria
Five Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers have been cleared of murdering a suspected jihadist in Syria. For the past two years, the elite troops had been facing the prospect of a court martial over the potential charges, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has now confirmed that the case has been dropped. The soldiers had been accused of using excessive force on the battlefield three years ago, according to The Daily Mail. The group were said to have been involved in setting up a cordon around a building with a 'confirmed jihadist' inside. He had earlier been seen in a video appearing to wear a suicide vest while vowing to 'blow up infidels'. However, several suspects managed to escape through the cordon, prompting the five soldiers to chase after them. After catching up with the 'likely suicide bombers', the troops shot the man dead in the darkness because they believed there was an immediate threat to their lives, the Mail reported. The exact location in Syria and the date of the operation cannot be disclosed for security reasons. After the killing, the SAS troops were investigated by the Royal Military Police (RMP). Files were also sent to the Service Prosecuting Authority – the military equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service – which spent 18 months reviewing the case. 'Appalling' wait for justice A friend told the Mail: 'It takes some believing, but the guys have been staring down the barrel of murder trials for shooting a confirmed jihadist in a live battlefield situation. 'How on Earth anyone could accuse them of using excessive force in that situation was beyond everyone.' The friend also claimed the men had been 'put through the wringer' so that generals and officials could 'prove how rigorously they can pursue a prosecution'. 'That's fine and dandy for them, but for the soldiers who risked their lives that night to be accused – and to wait so long for justice – that was appalling,' they added. An MoD spokesman said: 'Our personnel are respected worldwide, and make extraordinary sacrifices in defence of the nation. It's right that we hold them to the highest standards and action is taken where anyone fails to meet them. 'Following thorough investigations and assessments, we can confirm that no charges have been brought forward in these cases.' Mark Francois, the shadow Armed Forces minister, said: 'It is imperative we continue to recognise the outstanding contribution of our Special Forces to UK security and the incredible risks they take. This case highlighted the dangers they face and the difficult split-second decisions they are forced to make against ruthless enemies.' The RMP investigation and subsequent review coincided with the independent inquiry into the conduct of special forces in Afghanistan, which has been in progress since 2023. Afghan families have accused the SAS of conducting a 'campaign of murder' against civilians, while senior officers and personnel at the MoD 'sought to prevent adequate investigation'.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE SAS soldiers dramatically cleared of murdering Syria jihadist in battle after two-year legal nightmare
Five SAS soldiers facing murder charges over the death of a known Islamic terrorist in Syria have had their names cleared, the Mail can reveal. After a two-year legal nightmare, the elite troops have been told they will not face a court martial. In a case that provoked fury within the regiment, the 'Blades' as SAS soldiers are known, were accused of using excessive force on the battlefield three years ago. They had pursued the jihadist at night in a rural area after watching a video of him in which he vowed to 'blow up infidels'. In the footage he was seen wearing a suicide vest, which was found near where he was shot dead in pitch darkness. For security reasons, the location and date of the operation cannot be disclosed. Given the circumstances, the troops were shocked to learn later that they were being investigated by the Royal Military Police (RMP). One told colleagues he felt like a 'tethered goat' as RMPs, top brass and lawyers used the incident as a test case. A friend said: 'It takes some believing but the guys have been staring down the barrel of murder trials for shooting a confirmed jihadist in a live battlefield situation. 'How on earth anyone could accuse them of using excessive force in that situation was beyond everyone. 'These guys were put through the wringer so the generals, the Defence Serious Crime Unit and the Service Prosecuting Authority could prove how rigorously they can pursue a prosecution. 'That's fine and dandy for them, but for the soldiers who risked their lives that night to be accused – and to wait so long for justice – that was appalling.' The RMP investigation coincided with a High Court inquiry into allegations of SAS war crimes in Afghanistan. With the judge in that inquiry expected to publish a damning report later this year, there was a rigorous investigation of the Syria case. Files were sent to prosecutors recommending murder charges against the five soldiers. The Service Prosecuting Authority – the military equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service – then spent 18 months reviewing the case before finally agreeing to clear the soldiers. The saga led rank and file SAS soldiers to accuse their chain of command of 'putting their careers before protecting their soldiers'. The five SAS soldiers involved were part of a cordon around a jihadist compound when the shooting took place. Suspects escaped and the five broke from the cordon and gave chase. They caught the likely suicide bombers, one of whom was seen hiding in a bush. They opened fire in the darkness because they believed the jihadist posed an immediate threat to their lives. But a search of his body confirmed he was not wearing his suicide belt, which was later found in the compound he had bolted from. Today, the Ministry of Defence said: 'Our personnel are respected worldwide and make extraordinary sacrifices in defence of the nation. It's right that we hold them to the highest standards and action is taken where anyone fails to meet them. 'Following thorough investigations and assessments, we can confirm that no charges have been brought forward in these cases.' Tory armed forces spokesman Mark Francois said: 'It is imperative we continue to recognise the outstanding contribution of our Special Forces to UK security and the incredible risks they take. This case highlighted the dangers they face and the difficult split-second decisions they are forced to make against ruthless enemies.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Wagner to withdraw from Mali after 'completing mission'
Mali has been grappling with a militant Islamist insurgency for more than a decade. Following accusations that the government had been failing to deal with this insecurity, the military seized power a few years ago. French troops, which were originally deployed to help the civilian government, left the country in 2022. By then, the junta in charge of Mali had already begun working with the Russian mercenaries to combat the insurgents. There has been a resurgence in jihadist attacks on military bases in the Sahel state in recent weeks. Last Sunday, an al-Qaeda linked group said it had carried out a major attack on the town of Boulikessi and the army base there. More than 30 soldiers were killed, according to sources quoted by the news agency Reuters. Then on Monday, the same group - Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) - said it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting hearing gunfire and explosions. Insurgents also attacked an army post in the village of Mahou in the southeastern Sikasso region, killing five. Locals told the news agency AFP that soldiers withdrew from the Boulkessi base on after a new assault on Thursday led to multiple deaths. A military source said the departure was "strategic" and "at the request of the hierarchy", the news agency reported. The increased assaults in the Sahel region have raised concerns about the efficacy of Wagner in the region. Although the paramilitary group has announced its exit from Mali, Russian forces will still play an active role in the country's security landscape. Fighters from Africa Corps - a rival Russian mercenary force intended to absorb Wagner's activities on the continent - will remain in Mali. Russia has an increasing military, political and economic influence in West and Central Africa. Friday's announcement did not state whether Wagner would be leaving the Central African Republic, where its African headquarters are located.
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Al-Qaida affiliate attacks Mali army bases as junta struggles to contain jihadist threat
An al-Qaida linked group has launched an assault on a Malian army base in Timbuktu, according to military sources and local officials, a day after it claimed responsibility for another attack near the border with Burkina Faso. 'The terrorists arrived today in Timbuktu with a vehicle packed with explosives,' a local official told Agence France-Presse. 'The vehicle exploded near the [military] camp. Shooting is currently continuing.' Residents of the ancient city also told journalists that they had heard gunfire. The news came as the group Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for an attack on an army base in Boulkessi, near the border with Burkina Faso. The Malian authorities are yet to give casualty figures from Sunday's attack, but sources have told Reuters that as many as 30 soldiers were killed. Since 2012, a swarm of jihadist groups including most notably the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and JNIM have been fighting Malian security forces. When Mali's junta seized power in 2020, it cited the deteriorating security situation as a major reason for its coup and promised to act decisively to stabilise the country. Experts and civil society figures say there has barely been any improvement in the situation, while indiscriminate killings by Malian security forces have increased in tandem with the arrival in the country of Russian mercenaries operating at first under the banner of the Wagner group and then Africa Corps. Armed groups have also continued attacks in the Liptako-Gourma region where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger converge. In February, Human Rights Watch reported 34 people were killed when an armed group ambushed a civilian convoy travelling from Gao to Ansongo in the north-east o Mali, despite the vehicles being escorted by five military pickup trucks. Similar attacks have taken place across the Sahel, which now accounts for more than half of all deaths worldwide from terrorism. Recent attacks have targeted military formations including the 2019 killing of dozens of soldiers at a Boulkessi base and raids on army camps in north-east Nigeria in March. Last July, Malian authorities made the rare admission that 'significant' losses had been suffered after clashes pitting the army and Russian-backed mercenaries against jihadists near the desert town of Tinzaouaten. Since the start of May, more than 400 soldiers have reportedly been killed by insurgents in military bases and towns in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In January, the trio announced their exit from the regional Ecowas bloc – which turned 50 this May – to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), partly to enhance military cooperation.
LBCI
23-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Sweden lowers national threat level
Sweden's security service said on Friday it had lowered the national threat assessment by one notch to "elevated" from "high", citing a gradual change in the overall situation. "The threat of attacks from violent extremism has been reduced for some time," Sweden's SAPO security police said in a statement. SAPO had raised the threat level to "high", the second highest level, in 2023 after Koran burnings by individuals in Sweden outraged Muslims in several countries and triggered jihadist threats. Reuters
