Editing Special Air Service (section)

===22 SAS Regiment===
Since serving in Malaya, men from the regular army 22 SAS Regiment have taken part in reconnaissance patrols and large scale raiding missions in the [[Jebel Akhdar War]] in [[Oman]] and conducted covert reconnaissance and surveillance patrols and some larger scale raiding missions in [[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation|Borneo]].<ref>Geraghty, pp. 120–131</ref><ref name=sf12>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 12</ref> They returned to Oman in operations against Communist-backed rebels in the [[Dhofar Rebellion]] including the [[Battle of Mirbat]].<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 104</ref> They have also taken part in operations in the [[Aden Emergency]],<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 57</ref> [[The Troubles|Northern Ireland]],<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 53</ref> and [[The Gambia|Gambia]].<ref name=sf12 /> Their Special projects team assisted the West German counterterrorism group [[GSG 9]] at [[Lufthansa Flight 181|Mogadishu]].<ref name=sf12 /> The SAS counter terrorist wing famously took part in a hostage rescue operation during the [[Iranian Embassy Siege]] in London.<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 11</ref> SAS were involved throughout [[United Kingdom in the Soviet-Afghan War|Britain's covert involvement]] in the [[Soviet–Afghan War]]; they acted through private military contractor [[Keenie Meenie Services]] (or KMS Ltd), training the Afghan [[Mujaheddin]] in weapons, tactics and using explosives. Not only did they train the Mujaheddin in Afghanistan but also sent them to be trained in [[Pakistan]], Oman and even parts of the UK.<ref name="Cormac235">{{cite book |last1=Cormac |first1=Rory |title=Disrupt and Deny: Spies, Special Forces, and the Secret Pursuit of British Foreign Policy |date=2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-878459-3 |pages=235–236 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=emZaDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA235 |access-date=24 August 2020 |archive-date=23 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423054619/https://books.google.com/books?id=emZaDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA235 |url-status=live }}</ref> During the [[Falklands War]] B squadron were prepared for [[Operation Mikado]] before it was subsequently cancelled while D and G squadrons were deployed and participated in the [[raid on Pebble Island]].<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 212</ref> [[Operation Flavius]] was a controversial operation in [[Gibraltar]] against the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] (PIRA).<ref name=sf12 /> 22 SAS also directed [[NATO]] aircraft onto [[Serb]] positions and hunted war criminals in [[Bosnia]].<ref>{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2010|title=Karadzic escapes again as SAS swoops on church|last=Hawton|first=Nick|work=The Times|location=London|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article1110890.ece|date=2 April 2004|archive-date=17 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517044611/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article1110890.ece|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2010|last=Bellamy|first=Christopher|title=Ground attack is first in Nato history: British SAS troops help US war planes to deliver a timely warning to Serbs that 'safe areas' must be respected, writes Christopher Bellamy in Split|work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ground-attack-is-first-in-nato-history-british-sas-troops-help-us-war-planes-to-deliver-a-timely-warning-to-serbs-that-safe-areas-must-be-respected-writes-christopher-bellamy-in-split-1369263.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ground-attack-is-first-in-nato-history-british-sas-troops-help-us-war-planes-to-deliver-a-timely-warning-to-serbs-that-safe-areas-must-be-respected-writes-christopher-bellamy-in-split-1369263.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |date=11 April 1994}}</ref> They were also involved in the [[Kosovo War]] helping [[Kosovo Liberation Army|KLA]] guerillas behind Serbian lines. According to Albanian sources one SAS sergeant was killed by Serbian special forces.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/war-in-europe-sas-teams-fighting-behind-serb-lines-1093993.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/war-in-europe-sas-teams-fighting-behind-serb-lines-1093993.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title= War in Europe: SAS teams 'fighting behind Serb lines' |date=16 May 1999|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

The [[Gulf War]], in which A, B and D squadrons deployed, was the largest SAS mobilisation since the Second World War, also notable for the failure of the [[Bravo Two Zero]] mission.<ref>Scholey & Forsyth, p. 265</ref> In [[Sierra Leone]] it took part in [[Operation Barras]], a hostage rescue operation, to extract members of the [[Royal Irish Regiment (1992)|Royal Irish Regiment]].<ref name=sf12 />

Following the [[September 11 attacks]] on the United States by [[al-Qaeda]] in 2001, two squadrons of 22 SAS, later reinforced by members of both the Territorial SAS units, deployed to [[Afghanistan]] as part of the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|Coalition invasion]] at the start of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], to dismantle and destroy al-Qaeda and to deny it a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by removing the [[Taliban]] from power in the [[War on Terror]]. The Regiment carried out [[Operation Trent]], the largest operation in its history, which included its first wartime [[High-altitude military parachuting|HALO]] parachute jump. Following the invasion, the Regiment continued to operate in Afghanistan against the Taliban and other insurgents until 2006, when its deployment to Iraq became its focus of operations, until 2009 when the SAS redeployed to Afghanistan.<ref name="ReferenceB">Neville, Leigh, '' Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military)'', Osprey Publishing, 2015 {{ISBN|978-1472807908}}, p. 75</ref><ref name="Neville, Leigh 2016">Neville, Leigh, ''The SAS 1983–2014 (Elite)'', Osprey Publishing, 2016, {{ISBN|978-1472814036}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1450394/Overstretched-SAS-calls-up-part-time-troops-for-Afghanistan.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323000712/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1450394/Overstretched-SAS-calls-up-part-time-troops-for-Afghanistan.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-03-23|title=Overstretched SAS calls up part-time troops for Afghanistan – Telegraph|date=23 March 2010}}</ref><ref>Jennings, p 187</ref>

The regiment took part in the [[Iraq War]], notably carrying out operations in Iraq before the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion]]. Following the invasion, it formed part of [[Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War#Task Force Black/Knight|Task Force Black/Knight]] to combat the [[Iraqi insurgency (2003–11)|post invasion insurgency]]; in late 2005/early 2006, the SAS were integrated into [[JSOC]] and focused its counterinsurgency efforts on combating [[Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn|al-Qaeda in Iraq]] and the Sunni insurgency alongside [[Delta Force]]. The counter-insurgency was successful, and the UKSF mission in Iraq ended in May 2009.<ref name="ReferenceB" /><ref name="Neville, Leigh 2016" /><ref>Urban, Mark, ''Task Force Black: The Explosive True Story of the Secret Special Forces War in Iraq'', St. Martin's Griffin, 2012 {{ISBN|978-1-250-00696-7}}</ref> Overall, more than 3,500 terrorists were "taken off the streets" of Baghdad by 22 SAS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/5220803/SAS-and-other-special-forces-to-be-expanded-to-defeat-al-Qaeda.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/5220803/SAS-and-other-special-forces-to-be-expanded-to-defeat-al-Qaeda.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=SAS and other special forces to be expanded to defeat al-Qaeda|author=Sean Rayment|date=25 April 2009|work=Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Various British newspapers have speculated on SAS involvement in [[Operation Ellamy]] and the [[2011 Libyan civil war]]. The ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' reports that "defence sources have confirmed that the SAS has been in Libya for several weeks, and played a key role in coordinating the fall of Tripoli."<ref>{{cite news|access-date=26 August 2011|first=Thomas|last=Harding|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |title=Libya, SAS leads hunt for Gaddafi|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8721291/Libya-SAS-leads-hunt-for-Gaddafi.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8721291/Libya-SAS-leads-hunt-for-Gaddafi.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|date=24 August 2011|display-authors=etal}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While ''[[The Guardian]]'' reports "They have been acting as [[forward air control]]lers{{snd}}directing pilots to targets{{snd}}and communicating with NATO operational commanders. They have also been advising rebels on tactics."<ref>{{cite news|access-date=26 August 2011|first=Richard|last=Norton-Taylor|work=The Guardian|location=London|title=SAS troopers help co-ordinate rebel attacks in Libya|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/23/sas-troopers-help-coordinate-rebels|date=23 August 2011|archive-date=11 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012828/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/23/sas-troopers-help-coordinate-rebels|url-status=live}}</ref>

Members of the Special Air Service were deployed to Northern Iraq in late August 2014, and according to former SIS chief [[Richard Barrett (counter-terrorism expert)|Richard Barrett]], would also be [[Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War#United Kingdom|sent to Syria]], tasked with trying to track down the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) terrorist group that the press labelled [[The Beatles (terrorist cell)|the Beatles]].<ref name=Forze>{{cite web|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2014/08/25/forze-speciali-in-iraq-caccia-ai-beatles12.html?ref=search|title=Forze speciali in Iraq, caccia ai 'Beatles'|work=La Repubblica|date=25 August 2014|language=it|access-date=17 September 2014|archive-date=15 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915201140/https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2014/08/25/forze-speciali-in-iraq-caccia-ai-beatles12.html?ref=search|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/21/Former-ISIS-hostage-identifies-Foley-executioner.html |title=Former ISIS hostage identifies Foley executioner |publisher=[[Al Arabiya]] |date=21 August 2014 |access-date=18 September 2014 |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111233213/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/21/Former-ISIS-hostage-identifies-Foley-executioner.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/rapper-identified-as-james-foleys-executioner-reports-20140824-107w1i.html|author=Rachel Browne|title=Rapper identified as James Foley's executioner: reports|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=24 August 2014|access-date=18 September 2014|archive-date=14 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214180908/https://www.smh.com.au/world/rapper-identified-as-james-foleys-executioner-reports-20140824-107w1i.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024 it was acknowledged that five SAS members had been arrested by the [[Royal Military Police]] on suspicion of committing war crimes in Syria, though details have not been disclosed.<ref name=guardian-20240305>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/05/five-sas-soldiers-arrested-in-uk-on-suspicion-of-alleged-war-crimes-in-syria |title=Five SAS soldiers arrested in UK on suspicion of alleged war crimes in Syria |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 March 2024 |access-date=5 March 2024}}</ref>

In recent years SAS officers have risen to senior appointments in the British Army and Armed Forces. General [[Peter de la Billière]] was the [[commander in chief]] of the British forces in the 1990 Gulf War.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=27 March 2010|title=Breakfast with Frost, interview|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast_with_frost/2900539.stm|date=30 March 2003|archive-date=19 December 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031219061530/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast_with_frost/2900539.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> General [[Michael Rose (British Army officer)|Michael Rose]] became commander of the [[United Nations Protection Force]] in [[Bosnian War|Bosnia]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=27 March 2010|publisher=BBC|title=Insurgents 'right to take on US'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6618075.stm|date=3 May 2007|archive-date=5 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005195307/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6618075.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1997 General [[Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank|Charles Guthrie]] became [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] the head of the British armed forces.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thompson|first1=Alice|last2=Sylvester|first2=Rachel|access-date=27 March 2010|work=The Times|location=London|title=Guthrie attacks Gordon Brown over helicopters for Afghanistan troops|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6726512.ece|date=25 July 2009|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423054621/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Lieutenant-General]] [[Cedric Delves]] was appointed commander of the Field Army and deputy commander in chief NATO Regional Headquarters [[Joint Force Command Brunssum|Allied Forces North]] in 2002–2003.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=27 March 2010|publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]|title=Armed Forces:officers|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070604/text/70604w0039.htm|archive-date=24 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424115613/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070604/text/70604w0039.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>