A public inquiry has heard about a string of alleged killings of men and children by British special forces in Afghanistan. Richard Hermer KC, a barrister representing victims’ families, said the incidents amounted to war crimes committed by British soldiers. The inquiry will also assess to what extent a five-year inquiry conducted by the Royal Military Police was conducted properly and to what extent there was a cover up. It is the latest chapter in a saga of the alleged killing of 80 Afghan civilians by SAS soldiers on home raids between 2010 and 2013. The cases have been shrouded in secrecy because of national security legislation, but the work of a few dogged reporters from the Sunday Times and the BBC has helped keep a spotlight on the issue. Three days of opening statements at the inquiry ended yesterday. The full process will likely take up to 18 months, and much of the evidence will be heard in secret with no public or press present. Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, who is leading the inquiry, concluded the final session by making the point that the longer these allegations remain unresolved, the more damaging they become.