'It makes me sick!' UK Special Forces veteran calls for urgent legal protections after troops sent to hunt down Isis faced 'devastating' murder probe

Mr Hellyer's comments follow a report by the Sunday Times into a 2022 UK Special Forces operation to capture the leader of a terrorist cell in Syria.

According to accounts gathered in the investigation, five members of the elite unit came across two teenage boys who refused to surrender.

Believing their lives to be in danger, the troops shot and killed the pair - it later emerged both teenagers were jihadi terrorists who had been working for Isis.

Within days of the operation, the five soldiers were arrested and placed under investigation for double murder, while their homes in Britain were raided.

Just 48 hours after being questioned, the men were sent back out to the battlefield.

Three years in limbo followed before the soldiers were eventually cleared, but they were informed the case could be reopened at any time.

SAS veteran Mr Hellyer told GB News it "makes him sick" to consider the mental toll on the troops facing the prospect of life in prison, particularly given the extreme conditions in which they operated.

The former Special Forces soldier warned members of his unit are being put "into battle with no protection and no legal cover."

"They are on a battlefield predominantly working at night with lots of munitions going on…lots of fire. They are the tip of the spear and given a mission that is life or death by the higher command, by generals, by MPs, by senior officers.

"They have seen many battles before where their comrades have been killed or maimed and they've carried out their mission within the rules of engagement…put down for us."

Mr Hellyer also described the immense psychological strain placed on the men's families while their homes in Britain were raided.

"This is an armed police raid on an SAS officer's house where the doors are kicked in, the house is searched in front of the family and they are taken out of their quarters in handcuffs.

"They are then investigated by the same people that sent them into that battle zone and they're told there will be no further questions until you return back from your next tour of duty."

"These are the most heroic, patriotic individuals you could ever imagine. They are absolutely devastated. It is ruining their families. It is ruining their lives… It makes me absolutely sick."

All five of the troops subject to the probe have since left the armed forces.

The men had reportedly sent letters to former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about the supposed unlawfulness of their arrests but received no response.

The SAS Regimental Association said the situation presented a "threat to operational security and operational readiness," warning the arrests damaged the bond of trust between British soldiers and the state.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting revealed to the Sunday Times investigation that he had written to the Defence Serious Crime Unit to raise concerns.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Our personnel are respected worldwide for their professionalism and dedication, and they make extraordinary sacrifices in defence of the nation.

"They are also entitled to expect that any investigation is conducted fairly and professionally and rightly there are procedures in place for people to report concerns."