Discovery of 97 million files related to SAS inquiry 'regrettable', MoD says

Image caption, The SAS carried out night raids with Afghan special forces during the conflict

The discovery of 97 million documents more than three years into an inquiry investigating allegations that UK special committed war crimes in Afghanistan was a "regrettable failure", the Ministry of Defence has said.

The admission comes after the inquiry's chair, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, called the discovery "troubling" and "extraordinary news".

The independent inquiry was established in 2022 to investigate alleged executions by members of the Special Air Service between 2010 and 2013, during so-called night raids targeting the Taliban. It has yet to produce any findings.

MoD lawyers were called to a hearing on Friday to explain why the documents from the period in question were not found sooner.