The British Government's handling of the aftermath of the deaths of two Afghan brothers at the hands of UK special forces has been scrutinized by an ongoing inquiry.
A witness described the atmosphere at a special forces camp in Afghanistan as 'coarse and feral,' with soldiers feeling 'let off the leash' and engaging in 'sexual banter' throughout the day.
The witness, who worked at the military base, said she had 'never been anywhere that was as bad as there' and that people seemed to be 'wearing their own clothes' and 'no one was really watching them.'
Another colleague the witness spoke with said he had been disturbed by the culture in Afghanistan and felt that the people they worked with 'had sort of gone wild,' drawing a comparison to the book 'Lord Of The Flies.'
The probe, which is examining allegations of unlawful killings by UK special forces during operations in the country between 2010 and 2013, as well as claims of a subsequent cover-up, also heard from whistleblower Christopher Green, who served in Afghanistan in 2012.
Green, who was a 'direct witness' to complaints raised by local village elders about the killings in the village of Rahim, said he was called a 'Taliban-loving apologist' by a fellow soldier.
The inquiry also heard that the brothers' mother, Bebe Hazrata, was paid £3,634 in cash by the UK Government after their death, which was described as an 'assistance payment.' The witness questioned the unusual policy, suggesting it was an admission of guilt that the wrong people had been killed.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the Government is committed to supporting the inquiry and providing transparency and accountability to the British people.
The inquiry continues to investigate allegations of unlawful killings and a subsequent cover-up, with the Ministry of Defence promising to respond fully once the inquiry is complete.
