The Ministry of Defence has apologised after 97 million files were discovered more than three years into the independent inquiry examining allegations of unlawful killings by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan, with thousands of documents potentially relevant to its investigation.

The UK Ministry of Defence says it holds information on correspondence with the European Defence Agency over Afghanistan, while the EU agency insists that no such records exist in its holdings.

Newly published evidence presented to the Afghanistan Inquiry contains allegations from multiple witnesses of prisoner abuse, intimidation and a culture of exceptionalism within UK Special Forces, although the Inquiry has yet to reach any findings.

N1788 told the Afghanistan Inquiry that Afghan partner forces became increasingly reluctant to work with a British special forces unit in 2011 amid concerns over deadly night raids and mounting political pressure from President Hamid Karzai.

A former UK Special Forces chief told the Afghanistan Inquiry he directly challenged a commander after becoming aware of allegations that troops under his command may have been deliberately killing people during operations in Afghanistan.

A former Special Forces headquarters chief told the Afghanistan Inquiry that increasing Afghan fatalities and concerns over raid tactics led commanders to order a review in 2011.

A series of reports by Action on Armed Violence reveals that Britain’s military justice system is mired in secrecy, impunity, and institutional evasion, with elite units shielded from scrutiny, whistleblowers silenced, and the Ministry of Defence systematically resisting accountability.

The long-awaited public inquiry into allegations of misconduct by British soldiers during the war in Afghanistan moves closer to reality with a proposed timetable agreed upon by interested parties.