UK: On Wednesday, a call for evidence for an independent investigation into alleged unlawful killings by the British military in Afghanistan was made public. Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, the chairman of the investigation, vowed to "do everything in our power" to "get to the bottom" of the scandal.

Haddon-Cave issued a statement on Wednesday to coincide with the launch of a public website devoted to the enquiry. "I would urge anyone, who has got any information or material, which they think may be relevant to the enquiry, to please get in touch with the enquiry team as soon as possible," she said.

Last year, allegations that 54 Afghans were killed in the Helmand province between 2010 and 2011 under circumstances that constituted war crimes by UK Special Air Services (SAS) soldiers surfaced.

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The investigation is tasked with determining whether special forces or other UK troops were accountable for "numerous" extrajudicial killings that occurred between 2010 and 2013,

whether any of those alleged crimes should be prosecuted, whether the Royal Military Police properly handled its investigation of those crimes or whether it purposefully tried to conceal them, and "what lessons can be learned" from any improper conduct.

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Haddon-Cave stated in his statement that "both for the reputation of the armed forces and the country," it is crucial to clear the innocent as well as bring lawbreakers to justice.

The appearance of witnesses and the production of documents can be forced by investigators. Haddon-Cave declined to directly respond to a reporter's enquiry about whether the committee would consider testimony from the Taliban, who regained control in 2021 but continued to hold sway in Helmand even when coalition forces had the national upper hand.

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Haddon-Cave stated that the investigation will start hearings about specifics after reviewing "thousands of documents, many highly sensitive," and providing "background briefings" about British military operations in Afghanistan. She acknowledged that much of the latter would have to be done behind closed doors due to the sensitive nature of special forces activities.

The investigation was made public in December following the filing of a high court case by Sayfullah, an Afghan man who claimed that an SAS raid in southern Afghanistan in February 2011 resulted in the deaths of his father, two brothers, and cousin. Later, a new lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Noorzai family.