Military police have launched an investigation into claims that British soldiers abused two children during their tour of duty in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed an inquiry had begun into two soldiers from the Mercian Battle Group, which is serving a six-month stint in the country.
The Sun newspaper reported that the men, who were from lower ranks, had been arrested for allegedly abusing a boy and a girl, who were aged about 10.
The soldiers are said to have filmed separate incidents then showed the footage to other servicemen on their laptop computers.
Colleagues complained about their behaviour and the pair were arrested and several laptops seized, the Sun said.
It reported one source as saying what the military had to "establish is whether we are looking at sexual predatory behaviour or totally ill-judged larking about".
The MoD said the matter was being taken "extremely seriously".
"We are aware that an allegation has been made concerning alleged inappropriate behaviour by two servicemen in Afghanistan," the MoD said.
"The Royal Military Police [Special Investigations Branch] has launched an investigation into this. We take any such allegation extremely seriously. It would be inappropriate to comment further while an investigation is ongoing."
Apart from the serious nature of the allegations, military chiefs will want to have a speedy inquiry and, if necessary, secure prosecutions. They will be horrified by the PR gift to the Taliban the British counterinsurgency strategy in Helmand depends upon bonds of trust developing between local people and the security forces, and these revelations will likely be seized upon by the Taliban to undermine this work.
The disclosure comes a week after a film emerged of US Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, provoking uproar at a politically delicate time, with diplomats hoping to make headway in talks with the Taliban.
This is another terrible atrocity that troops that are supposed to be helping the nation are actually abusing civilians - terrible to see yet again. Thank you western democracy..
Military police investigate claims of British troops abusing Afghan children | UK news | The Guardian
The Ministry of Defence confirmed an inquiry had begun into two soldiers from the Mercian Battle Group, which is serving a six-month stint in the country.
The Sun newspaper reported that the men, who were from lower ranks, had been arrested for allegedly abusing a boy and a girl, who were aged about 10.
The soldiers are said to have filmed separate incidents then showed the footage to other servicemen on their laptop computers.
Colleagues complained about their behaviour and the pair were arrested and several laptops seized, the Sun said.
It reported one source as saying what the military had to "establish is whether we are looking at sexual predatory behaviour or totally ill-judged larking about".
The MoD said the matter was being taken "extremely seriously".
"We are aware that an allegation has been made concerning alleged inappropriate behaviour by two servicemen in Afghanistan," the MoD said.
"The Royal Military Police [Special Investigations Branch] has launched an investigation into this. We take any such allegation extremely seriously. It would be inappropriate to comment further while an investigation is ongoing."
Apart from the serious nature of the allegations, military chiefs will want to have a speedy inquiry and, if necessary, secure prosecutions. They will be horrified by the PR gift to the Taliban the British counterinsurgency strategy in Helmand depends upon bonds of trust developing between local people and the security forces, and these revelations will likely be seized upon by the Taliban to undermine this work.
The disclosure comes a week after a film emerged of US Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, provoking uproar at a politically delicate time, with diplomats hoping to make headway in talks with the Taliban.
This is another terrible atrocity that troops that are supposed to be helping the nation are actually abusing civilians - terrible to see yet again. Thank you western democracy..
Military police investigate claims of British troops abusing Afghan children | UK news | The Guardian
