UK to launch inquiry into alleged unlawful killings of Afghan civilians by its soldiers

The UK will hold an independent inquiry into allegations of unlawful killings by the British Armed Forces in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defense said Thursday.

Junior defense minister Andrew Murrison announced in the House of Commons that the inquiry, which was commissioned by Defense Secretary Ben Wallace under the 2005 Inquiries Act, will start in early 2023.

It will investigate activities between mid-2010 and mid-2013 by British forces but will also look into the adequacy of the ministry’s response to the allegations, including murder, according to the ministry.