One British soldier admitted to shooting an eight-year-old Afghan boy
British army personnel located in Iraq and Afghanistan shot several children and teenagers they suspected were keeping them under surveillance, according to a report published by the Middle East Eye.
Soldiers interviewed by the online publication stated that they were allowed to shoot unarmed civilians, in addition to anyone carrying a mobile phone, a shovel or even a acting suspiciously.
“Anyone you deem is a terrorist, you shoot them,” one of the soldiers said. “But how could we know if they were a threat? Not all of them were, some were just people holding phones.
“We were shooting old men, young men. This is what I witnessed. I have never seen such lawlessness,” he said.
The rules of combat engagement had been relaxed due to the fear that militants could be using civilians or posing as them to plant roadside bombs.
A former Royal Marine recounted how one of his officers owned up to shooting an eight-year-old Afghan boy when the child’s father came bearing the corpse of his dead son, demanding an explanation.
“Our commanders, they would tell us: ‘We will protect you if any investigation comes. Just say you genuinely thought your life was at risk - those words will protect you,’” said another ex-soldier.