08 January 2025 , 10:22
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Members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) are being investigated over a UK special forces operation in Libya two years ago, the BBC has been told.
The Daily Mail, which first reported the investigation, said up to five members of the SBS were being investigated over an incident involving a car chase in which shots were fired.
Details of what exactly happened and how many SBS members are being investigated have not been confirmed.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not comment on special forces operations. There has been no public comment about British military personnel conducting operations in Libya in recent years.
The BBC understands that the investigation has been ongoing for a number of months. As yet, nothing has been handed over to the Service Prosecution Authority (SPA), the military equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service, and no charges have been made.
The SBS is one of the two main special forces regular units, alongside the SAS. The SBS mainly recruits from the Royal Marines, while the SAS looks to the Army.
An MoD spokesman said: "Our UK personnel are respected worldwide for the highest standards and action will be taken against anyone that fails to meet these standards, including dismissal from service when appropriate."
It was believed members of the UK special forces were on the ground in Libya when NATO launched its air campaign targeting Col Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in 2011. It is now clear they have been on the ground more recently.
Last week, it emerged nine members of UK special forces could face prosecution over alleged war crimes linked to at least two separate incidents in Syria.
MoD data seen by the BBC, which was originally obtained via a Freedom of Information request by The Times newspaper, shows that two cases are being reviewed by the SPA.
One case involves one individual, while another involves eight individuals.
The MoD did not disclose details of the cases, or whether they involved singular or multiple incidents.