SAS soldiers who were arrested over the double murder of two teenage jihadis were 'sent back to Syria' during a three-year probe

The five elite troops were hunting a senior ISIS cell leader in Deir el-Zor in July 2022 when they heard shots overhead. They confronted two teenage boys who refused to surrender and shot them dead, believing they posed a credible threat. The boys later turned out to be working for Islamic State. Because no weapons were found on the bodies, the soldiers were accused of 'disproportionate force'.

Military police launched an investigation codenamed Operation Tanglement into the shooting.

The troops were released back into the war zone just 48 hours after questioning.

The SAS regimental association says such 'witch hunts' threaten national security.