SAS Commander Criticized Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan, Citing Risks to British Lives
A former commander of the elite SAS unit argued that restrictive rules and human rights legislation hindered operations in Afghanistan, potentially endangering soldiers.
A former commanding officer of the elite Special Air Service (SAS) regiment has voiced concerns that stringent rules of engagement and human rights legislation imposed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) undermined counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan, potentially jeopardizing the lives of British soldiers. The officer, identified as Richard Williams, argued that these restrictions, particularly concerning detention of suspects and rules of engagement, made the SAS's mission in Afghanistan significantly more challenging than in Iraq.
Williams, who commanded the SAS from 2005, had previously played a key role in operations against Al-Qaeda in Iraq. During his tenure, he was asked to review plans for Task Force Helmand in Afghanistan, which aimed to stabilize the country's primary drug-producing region. Williams noted that unlike in Iraq, where Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supported detention of suspects and offensive actions based on hostile intent, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai opposed detention and house searches. Williams feared that MoD-imposed legal restrictions would render his soldiers' work virtually impossible and predicted that up to 500 British soldiers could lose their lives in Helmand. This prediction proved prescient, as 407 British personnel died in Helmand before combat operations concluded in 2014.
Williams refused to commit an SAS squadron to Task Force Helmand under these conditions, prioritizing the fight against Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Despite pressure to change his mind, he resigned his commission in 2008, warning of the dangers of "lawfare" and the imposition of the Human Rights Act, stating that the MoD's stance could lead to the SAS being "stabbed in the back by those in London." A more compliant successor, however, accepted the MoD's terms for deployment to Helmand.
Sources indicate that the SAS encountered significant difficulties in Afghanistan where a high percentage of captured insurgents were released within days. The UK's Human Rights Act prevented the transfer of Afghan terror suspects to local jurisdictions due to concerns about safety in Afghan prisons, leading SAS officers to liken the process to a "revolving door." Insurgents learned to remain silent for 96 hours to secure their release. Furthermore, the Rules of Engagement, which required soldiers to perceive an immediate threat to life before opening fire, were exploited by bombmakers who ceased carrying weapons to avoid being targeted.
One specific incident highlighted during Operation Tyburn in early 2011 involved the targeting of a bombmaker named Sadam Hussein. During the operation, four individuals were killed in action. While SAS reports stated that the deceased were armed or posed an immediate threat, relatives of the dead claimed they were unarmed civilians. Special Forces lawyers expressed concerns about the wording of operational reports, anticipating scrutiny in potential future inquiries and questioning how to ensure legal force application without constraining soldiers in high-threat situations. Public Interest Lawyers, a firm known for pursuing cases against the UK military, was seen as a potential challenge.
SAS sources vehemently denied accusations of casual disregard for life, asserting that operations were authorized by MoD lawyers and that the presence of SAS was intended to protect civilians. Sir Mark Sedwill, the UK ambassador to Afghanistan, reportedly sided with the SAS, arguing that soldiers were being expected to do too much without adequate policy support. The account suggests a stark choice faced by soldiers: detain suspects who would return to the battlefield, or eliminate them to prevent further casualties.