Seven members of Britain's crack Royal Marines regiment are facing a murder probe in connection with an incident in Afghanistan's Helmand province in 2011, the British Ministry of Defence said on Friday.
The ministry said that the men were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday by the Royal Military Police in Britain.
“The incident followed an engagement with an insurgent. There were no civilians involved,’’ a spokesman said.
The Royal Marines are an elite regiment of the British navy. The soldiers now held were reported to belong to its 3 Commando
Brigade, which is based in Plymouth, south-west England.
The case is believed to be the first ever in which British servicemen have been held on suspicion of murder during the conflict in Afghanistan.
The men were being held at a “secure location’’ where they would be questioned, the BBC reported.
The case would be dealt with in accordance with the military justice system.
The development was immediately welcomed by the Afghan government.
“This is a good step, which can significantly help in the prevention of casualties in Afghanistan, in particular civilian deaths,’’ the Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Zaher Azimi, said.
The ministry welcomed the observation and implementation of military law by NATO-led coalition forces to prevent civilian casualties, Azimi said while also asking for better implementation.
The Military analyst, Michael Clarke of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London,? said the arrests were embarrassing for the British government and the military.
The authorities would be investigating the allegations through “gritted teeth,’’ Clarke said.
The arrests were made in connection with an incident which occurred while the Marines were based in Helmand province, where fierce fighting raged during the summer months.
“These arrests demonstrate the determination of the department and the Armed Forces' to ensure that UK personnel act in accordance with their rules of engagement and our standards.’’
The ministry said that during a six-month tour of duty, which lasted from April to October 2011, 3 Commando Brigade saw seven servicemen killed in action, and many more injured.
Brig. Ed Davis, who commanded Task Force Helmand and led 3 Commando Brigade during the tour, said his men had “interdicted’’ over 2.5 tons of home-made explosive by August last year, leading to a reduction in “enemy attacks''.’
The rules of engagement, largely derived from the Geneva Convention, which dictates under what circumstances British troops are allowed to open fire, whether that is to prevent an attack by the enemy or in direct contact.
“It would be inappropriate to make any further comment while the investigation is under way,’’ the defence’s ministry spokesman said.