Soldiers who were involved in notorious battle during the Iraq war are to start giving evidence to a public inquiry into claims that British forces mistreated and unlawfully killed detainees.
The Al-Sweady Inquiry, which is examining claims that UK soldiers mistreated and killed detainees after the “Battle of Danny Boy” in May 2004, is to start hearing evidence from military witnesses this week.
The inquiry, which was ordered in 2009, started hearing oral evidence in March but has so far only heard from Iraqi witnesses and some experts.
The probe is looking into claims that 20 or more Iraqis were unlawfully killed at Camp Abu Naji (CAN) near Majar-al-Kabir on May 14 and 15 2004, and detainees were ill-treated there and at Shaibah Logistics Base, where they were moved to, but the Ministry of Defence denies the claims, saying those who died were killed on the battlefield.
The claims centre on the so-called Battle of Danny Boy in May 2004, when a large-scale ambush of UK forces turned into a three-hour pitched battle.
The British Army has claimed that bodies were removed from the battlefield and taken back to CAN, along with detainees, but it is alleged that some of the bodies later handed back died at the base.
Chaired by Sir Thayne Forbes, the Al-Sweady Inquiry was adjourned in July and returns today.