Editing Special Boat Service (section)

===21st century===
====Sierra Leone====
In September 2000, the SBS, integrated with the SAS, were involved in [[Operation Barras]], a hostage rescue operation in [[Sierra Leone]] that successfully rescued five captured [[Royal Irish Regiment (1992)|Royal Irish Regiment]] soldiers.<ref name=tele/><ref>{{cite thesis|last1=Feuerherm|first1=Maj P. N.|title=Joint special and conventional force integration: a model for all nations|url=https://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/259/290/294/286/feuerherm.pdf |access-date=24 August 2022|degree=Master's|publisher=Canadian Forces College|date=2008|pages=11, 15, 29–30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Operation Barras |url=https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/operation-barras |website=National Army Museum |access-date=24 August 2022}}</ref>

====Afghanistan====
[[File:DeltaSBSTora.jpg|thumb|right|SBS with [[Delta Force|U.S. Delta Force]] at the [[Battle of Tora Bora]]]]
In November 2001, C and M squadron SBS had an extensive role in the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|invasion of Afghanistan]] at the start of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]], notably, members of M squadron, alongside members of [[Secret Intelligence Service|SIS]], were involved in the [[Battle of Tora Bora]].{{sfn|Neville|2015}}{{sfn|Corera|2012|p=338}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Sengupta|first=Kim|date=3 December 2001|title=British forces to take part in assault on cave complex |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/british-forces-to-take-part-in-assault-on-cave-complex-9201165.html|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=9 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925183718/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/british-forces-to-take-part-in-assault-on-cave-complex-9201165.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The SBS was integrated directly into [[United States invasion of Afghanistan#Command structure|Task Force Sword]] – a [[Black operation|Black]] unit, under direct command of [[Joint Special Operations Command|JSOC]], this was a so-called hunter-killer force whose primary objective was capturing or killing senior leadership and [[High-value target]]s within al-Qaeda and the [[Taliban]]. Troops from C squadron (reinforced by teams from X and Z squadron, with at least one [[United States Navy SEALs|SEAL]] attached to them) were tasked with several missions, some with [[Abdul Rashid Dostum]]'s [[Northern Alliance]] forces at [[Mazar-e-Sharif]]. On 10 November, C squadron inserted into the recently captured [[Bagram Airbase]], which caused an immediate political quandary with the Northern Alliance leadership which claimed that the British had failed to consult them on it before the deployment, in addition to fighting with Dostum's forces, they worked alongside TF Sword in [[Shah-i-Kot Valley]].{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=29, 69–70}}{{Sfn|Neville|2008}} Members of M squadron SBS, were involved in a prison revolt during the [[Battle of Qala-i-Jangi]], members of the SBS along with US and Northern Alliance troops eventually quelled the uprising, however during one [[close air support]] mission, a misdirected [[Joint Direct Attack Munition|JDAM bomb]] wounded four SBS personnel to various degrees. In appreciation for the SBS contribution to the battle, the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] attempted to recognise the personnel with US decorations, but due to military and political bureaucracy, the decorations were never awarded. The SBS continued to work with Task Force Sword and the CIA.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=29, 72–75}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1418557/US-honours-Briton-in-Afghan-raid.html|title=US honours Briton in Afghan raid|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=10 March 2010|first=Michael|last=Smith|date=11 January 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111214623/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1418557/US-honours-Briton-in-Afghan-raid.html|archive-date=11 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Spring 2005, the Director of Special Forces re-balanced British special forces deployments so that Afghanistan would be the responsibility of the SBS and Iraq would be the 22 SAS Regiment's.{{sfn|Urban|2012a|pp=92–93}} In Spring 2006, the British military [[Operation Herrick#Helmand|deployed over 4,000 troops]] to southern Afghanistan and the SBS were assigned to take the lead in supporting the deployment.{{sfn|Urban|2012a|p=135}} The SBS were part of Task Force 42{{sfn|Neville|2015|p=146}} the British contingent in the Joint Special Forces command; their deployment with other British special forces units was codenamed Operation Kindle (similar to the SAS and other British SF deployment in Iraq, known as Operation Crichton);{{sfn|Neville|2016|p=49}} the SBS carried out missions all over southern Afghanistan with [[AgustaWestland Apache|AgustaWestland Apache helicopters]].<ref name="Macy p.2-3">Macy, Ed, ''Apache'', Harper Perennial, 2009 {{ISBN|978-0007288175}}, pp. 2–3, 8–9</ref> Along with training and mentoring Afghan Provincial Response Companies, Afghan police tactical units the operated jointly with Coalition SOF, TF 42 conducted operations in direct support of the British Battle Group deployed in Helmand Province and for ISAF SOF Command and operations directly for the Americans in pursuit of high-value targets.{{sfn|Neville|2015|p=146}} The main objective of the SBS (and later on other British special forces units with Afghan forces) was targeting Taliban leaders and drug barons using "[[Carrot and stick]]" tactics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/02/special-forces-killed-afghanistan|title=British special forces member killed in Afghanistan|work=The Guardian|date=2 July 2010|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817111053/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/02/special-forces-killed-afghanistan|archive-date=17 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On 27 June 2006, a 16-man unit from C Squadron and members of the [[Special Reconnaissance Regiment]] (SRR) carried out Operation Ilois: an operation that silently captured four Taliban leaders in compounds on the outskirts of [[Sangin]], [[Helmand]] province. As they returned to their Land Rover vehicles, they were ambushed by an estimated 60–70 Taliban insurgents, with one vehicle disabled by RPG fire, the team took cover in an irrigation ditch and requested assistance while holding off the Taliban force. The Helmand Battle Group had not been informed of the operation until it went wrong; a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) made up of a platoon of [[Gurkhas]] responded but ran into another insurgent ambush; one SBS member was seriously injured in the ambush. After an hour-long gunfight (some sources say three hours{{Which|date=March 2018}}), Apache attack helicopters, the Gurkha QRF and the 16-man unit, supported by a US [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 Thunderbolt]] and two [[British Aerospace Harrier II|Harrier GR7s]] managed to break contact and return to the closest FOB; two of the four Taliban leaders were killed in the firefight while the other two escaped in the chaos. Upon reaching the FOB it was discovered that Captain David Patton, SRR, and Sergeant Paul Bartlett, SBS were missing—one was helping wounded out of a vehicle when he was shot and assumed killed, and the other went missing during the firefight. An RAF Chinook carrying a company from the [[Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)|Parachute Regiment]] took off to find them, a pair of Apaches spotted the bodies and the Paras recovered them. One SBS member was awarded the MC for his actions in the ambush.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=239–241}}<ref name="Macy p.2-3"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5152430.stm|access-date=9 March 2010|work=BBC News|title=Killed NI soldier 'was due home|date=6 July 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225213326/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5152430.stm|archive-date=25 February 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 12 May 2007, an SBS team killed the Taliban leader [[Dadullah|Mullah Dadullah]] after JSOC and the [[Intelligence Support Activity|ISA]] tracked him to a compound—where his associates were meeting—near [[Bahram Chah]], Helmand province. The ISA confirmed he was there and an SBS reconnaissance element carried out reconnaissance of the compound which showed that Dadullah was protected by 20 insurgents. That night, with the ISA monitoring the target, the majority of C Squadron were inserted by RAF [[Boeing Chinook (UK variants)|Chinook HC.2]] helicopters while Apache helicopters provided cover. The troops stormed the compound and an hour long firefight took place as small groups of Taliban were hunted down and killed. Four SBS personnel were wounded (one seriously). Eventually Dadullah was shot in the chest and head, a brief [[site exploitation]] was conducted and the assault force was picked up by helicopter.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=241–242}}<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News|title=Long haul fight to defeat the Taliban|access-date=9 March 2010|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6237290.stm|date=25 June 2007|first=Alastair|last=Leithead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818233056/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6237290.stm|archive-date=18 August 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> On 29 July 2007, members of the SBS were carrying out a special mission in [[Nimruz]] when they were involved in a firefight with Taliban insurgents, Lance Corporal Michael Jones was killed and three other members were wounded.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1559131/Royal-Marine-killed-in-Taliban-fight-named.html|title=Royal Marine killed in Taliban fight named|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=1 August 2007|access-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205042231/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1559131/Royal-Marine-killed-in-Taliban-fight-named.html|archive-date=5 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/lance-corporal-michael-jones-royal-marines-killed-in-afghanistan|title=Lance Corporal Michael Jones Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|date=31 July 2007|access-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205045038/https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/lance-corporal-michael-jones-royal-marines-killed-in-afghanistan|archive-date=5 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6924232.stm|title=Dead UK Afghanistan marine named|publisher=BBC|date=31 July 2007|access-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028152115/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6924232.stm|archive-date=28 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 September 2007, members of C squadron SBS and the Italian SOF unit [[9th Parachute Assault Regiment|Col Moschin]] rescued two Italian intelligence agents who were kidnapped two days before by the Taliban in [[Herat province]] near [[Farah, Afghanistan|Farah]]. Col Moschin parachuted onto a drop zone and marched overnight to surround the target compound, while the SBS were standing by in [[Westland Lynx|Lynx]] and Chinook helicopters to provide cut off groups in case the insurgents attempted to escape. A US Predator drone also supported the British and Italians. The insurgents brought the hostages out of the compound and loaded them into vehicles before the Italians were in position to rescue them, but the SBS closed in on the vehicles: aerial snipers using [[Barrett M82#M82A1|M82A1 anti-materiel rifles]] forced the vehicles to stop. A Chinook dropped off more than a dozen SBS personnel who engaged the Taliban who were disembarking the vehicles. Eight Taliban insurgents were killed and the hostages were rescued, although one died of gunshot wounds.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=242–243}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/25/italy.afghanistan|title=Elite UK troops rescue Italians in Afghanistan|work=The Guardian|date=25 September 2007|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005020248/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/25/italy.afghanistan|archive-date=5 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564157/British-forces-help-free-Italians-in-Afghanistan.html|title=British forces help free Italians in Afghanistan|publisher=the telegraph|date=25 September 2007|access-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151732/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564157/British-forces-help-free-Italians-in-Afghanistan.html|archive-date=28 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 18 February 2008, Taliban leader [[Abdul Matin (Taliban leader)|Mullah Abdul Matin]] and one of his sub-commanders, Mullah Karim Agha, along with several bodyguards were travelling through the desert near [[Girishk|Gereshk]], Helmand province on motorbikes when they were ambushed and killed by an SBS unit dropped into his path by helicopter.{{sfn|Neville|2015|p=242}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/world/Key-Taliban-warlord-killed-in.3805965.jp|title=Mullah Abdul Matin|newspaper=[[The Scotsman]]|access-date=16 March 2010|date=22 February 2008}}</ref> In February 2009, members of the SBS took part in [[Operation Diesel]], which resulted in the seizure of £50&nbsp;million of heroin and the killing of at least 20 Taliban insurgents.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harding|first=Thomas|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/4681443/British-forces-in-Afghanistan-seize-50m-of-heroin-and-kill-20-Taliban.html|title=British forces in Afghanistan seize £50m of heroin and kill 20 Taliban|work=The Telegraph|date=18 February 2009|access-date=3 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324164317/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/4681443/British-forces-in-Afghanistan-seize-50m-of-heroin-and-kill-20-Taliban.html|archive-date=24 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On 29 August 2009, Sergeant Lee Houltram of the SBS was killed by an IED during a Special Forces operation to destroy a bomb factory near Gereshk in Helmand province.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forces.net/remembrance/iremember-sas-who-dares-wins-stars-sign|title=#IRemember: 'SAS Who Dares Wins' Stars Sign Up|publisher=forces.net|date=27 November 2016|access-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205194710/http://www.forces.net/remembrance/iremember-sas-who-dares-wins-stars-sign|archive-date=5 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/sergeant-lee-andrew-houltram-royal-marines-killed-in-afghanistan-on-29-august|title=Sergeant Lee Andrew Houltram, Royal Marines, killed in Afghanistan on 29 August|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|date=30 August 2009|access-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205045134/https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/sergeant-lee-andrew-houltram-royal-marines-killed-in-afghanistan-on-29-august|archive-date=5 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On 9 September 2009, an SBS team supported by the [[Special Forces Support Group]] (SFSG) rescued ''Times'' journalist [[Stephen Farrell (journalist)|Stephen Farrell]] from a Taliban safe house in [[Char Dara District]], Kunduz Province after he and his Afghan interpreter had been captured by the Taliban while reporting on the [[2009 Kunduz airstrike|Kunduz airstrike]]. The British special forces were forced to act when intercepted communications of the Taliban leader showed them discussing moving the hostages into Pakistan. They were inserted before dawn by [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)|160th SOAR]] helicopters directly onto the target building. While the SFSG set up a cordon, the Afghan interpreter was accidentally shot and killed, and two civilians were killed by an explosive breaching charge on the compound. Although an SFSG soldier was killed, Farrell was successfully rescued.{{sfn|Neville|2015|p=243}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/09/british-soldier-killed-afghanistan|title=British soldier killed during rescue of kidnapped journalist in Afghanistan|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=9 September 2009|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816095630/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/09/british-soldier-killed-afghanistan|archive-date=16 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|access-date=8 October 2013|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|title=Army anger as soldier killed saving journalist who ignored Taliban warning|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6163453/Army-anger-as-soldier-killed-saving-journalist-who-ignored-Taliban-warning.html|first=Andrew|last=Pierce|date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903213129/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6163453/Army-anger-as-soldier-killed-saving-journalist-who-ignored-Taliban-warning.html|archive-date=3 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 July 2010 during an operation against insurgents in Haji Wakil, Helmand Province, Corporal Seth Stephens of the SBS was killed during a heavy firefight while clearing a compound, as a result of his actions during that operation, he was awarded the [[Conspicuous Gallantry Cross]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-13520529|title=Marine Cpl Seth Stephens shot in the head by Afghanistan insurgent|work=BBC News|date=24 May 2011|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127134112/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-13520529|archive-date=27 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 15 April 2012, during the [[April 2012 Afghanistan attacks|Taliban attack on Kabul]], SBS members cleared Taliban militants from a central location overlooking foreign embassies.<ref name=SkyNews>{{cite news|last=Stone|first=Mark|title=UK Troops Crucial in Ending Kabul Attack|url=http://news.sky.com/story/11034/uk-troops-crucial-in-ending-kabul-attack|access-date=18 April 2012|publisher=Sky News|date=18 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427204809/http://news.sky.com/story/11034/uk-troops-crucial-in-ending-kabul-attack|archive-date=27 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> A heavily armed insurgent suicide squad occupied a six-storey, half-built tower block, and began firing small arms and RPGs on nearby buildings including the British and German embassies. SBS and Afghan troops fought a close quarters battle for eight-and-a-half hours to eventually clear the militants from the structure. The mission to end the siege is thought to have been one of the most decorated actions of Britain's involvement in Afghanistan, with several gallantry awards given to the participants. A combat assault dog, a [[Belgian Malinois]] known as Mali, received the [[Dickin Medal]] for his actions during the battle. Despite being badly injured by grenade shrapnel, Mali stayed by the side of his handler and continued to find safe routes for the British and Afghan troops as they fought their way up the tower floor-by-floor, preventing the operators from suffering major casualties.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/17/special-forces-dog-wins-animal-victoria-cross-taliban-raid-heroics/|title=Special forces dog wins 'animal Victoria Cross' for Taliban raid heroics|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=17 November 2017|access-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409120621/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/17/special-forces-dog-wins-animal-victoria-cross-taliban-raid-heroics/|archive-date=9 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 December 2013, Captain Richard Holloway was serving with the SBS when he was killed by Taliban small arms fire while conducting an operation to suppress the Taliban in a joint SBS-Afghan forces raid (with air support) on Taliban insurgents in a valley east of [[Kabul]] ahead of the Afghanistan elections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Farmer|first=Ben|date=27 November 2014 |title=Special Forces soldier died in perilous raid on Taliban haven |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11258477/Special-Forces-soldier-died-in-perilous-raid-on-Taliban-haven.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=29 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423174632/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11258477/Special-Forces-soldier-died-in-perilous-raid-on-Taliban-haven.html|archive-date=23 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Iraq====
In the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], M Squadron deployed to [[Jordan]] as Task Force 7, which was part of [[Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - West]] (CJSOTF-West) and were earmarked for a heliborne assault on several Iraqi oil facilities that had their own desert airstrips that once captured would be used for [[special operations forces]]' staging areas. In northern Iraq in early March, a small reconnaissance team from M Squadron mounted on Honda [[All-terrain vehicle]]s inserted into Iraq from Jordan, its first mission was to conduct reconnaissance of an Iraqi air base at al-Sahara. The team was compromised by an anti-special forces [[Fedayeen Saddam|Fedayeen]] unit and barely escaped thanks to a US [[McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle]] that flew air cover for the team and the bravery of an RAF Chinook that extracted the team under the Fedayeen's 'noses'.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=88–90, 121–122}}

M Squadron launched a second operation at full strength ("Zero Six Bravo") in a mix of land rovers and ATVs into northern Iraq from [[H-2 Air Base]], the objective was to locate, make contact and take the surrender of the Iraqi 5th Army Corps somewhere past [[Tikrit]] and to survey and mark viable temporary landing zones for follow-on forces. However the Squadron was compromised by a goat herder; the SBS drove for several days while unknown to them anti-special forces Fedayeen units followed them. At an overnight position near [[Mosul]] the Fedayeen ambushed the Squadron with DShK heavy machine guns and RPGs, the SBS returned fire and began taking fire from a [[T-72]], the Squadron scattered and escaped the well-constructed trap. A number of Land Rovers became bogged down in a nearby wadi, so the troops mined the vehicles and abandoned them—though several did not detonate and were captured and exhibited on Iraqi television.{{sfn|Urban|2012a|p=148}} The SBS was now in three distinct groups: one with several operational Land Rovers was being pursued by the Iraqi hunter force, a second mainly equipped with ATVs was hunkered down and trying to arrange extraction, the third with just 2 personnel on an ATV raced for the Syrian border. The first group tried to call in coalition strike aircraft but the aircraft could not identify friendly forces because the SBS were not equipped with infra-red strobes—although their vehicles did have [[Blue Force Tracking|Blue Force Tracker]] units, they eventually made it to an emergency rendezvous point and were extracted by an RAF Chinook. The second group was also extracted by an RAF Chinook and the third group made it to [[Syria]] and was held there until their release was negotiated, there were no SBS casualties.{{sfn|Neville|2015|pp=122–123}}

M Squadron also had a 3-month tour in early 2003. Corporal Ian Plank, an SBS member attached to the SAS was killed by Iraqi insurgents during a house-to-house search for a wanted high-ranking Islamist terrorist in an insurgent compound in [[Ramadi]] on 31 October 2003, he was the first UKSF combat casualty of the Iraq War.{{sfn|Urban|2012a|p=31}} The SBS was also very active as part of Task Force Black, C squadron deployed to Baghdad as part of the task force in 2004, in its four-month deployment it mounted 22 raids.{{sfn|Urban|2012a|p=88}} On 23 July 2005, M squadron, supported by troops from the SAS and US forces carried out [[Operation Marlborough]], killing three members of [[Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn|AQI]].{{sfn|Urban|2012a|pp=87–90}}

====Libya====
On 27 February 2011, during the [[First Libyan Civil War]], the BBC reported that C Squadron assisted in the evacuation of 150 oil workers in three flights by RAF C-130 Hercules from an airfield near [[Zella, Libya|Zella]] to [[Valletta]] in [[Malta]].<ref>{{cite AV media |last=Urban |first=Mark |date=19 January 2012 |title=SAS on ground during Libya crisis |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16624401 |medium=Television documentary |work=[[Newsnight]] |publisher=[[BBC Two]] (broadcast 18 January 2012)|access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Caroline |last2=Norton-Taylor |first2=Richard |title=SAS assist in evacuation of British oil workers from Libyan desert |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/27/sas-evacuation-british-workers-libya |access-date=20 April 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=28 February 2011}}</ref>

====Nigeria====
{{main|Sokoto hostage rescue attempt}}
On 8 March 2012, a small SBS team [[Sokoto hostage rescue attempt|attempted to rescue]] two hostages, Chris McManus (British) and Franco Lamolinara (Italian), who were being held in Nigeria by members of the [[Boko Haram]] terrorist organisation that was loyal to al-Qaeda. The two hostages were killed by their captors before or during the rescue attempt. All the hostage takers were reportedly killed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watt|first1=Nicholas|last2=Norton-Taylor |first2=Richard|last3=Vogt|first3=Andrea|date=8 March 2012|title=British and Italian hostages killed in Nigeria |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/mar/08/british-italian-hostages-killed-nigeria|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=8 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911040840/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/mar/08/british-italian-hostages-killed-nigeria|archive-date=11 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

====United Kingdom====
On 21 December 2018, SBS personnel resolved a situation by [[Grande Tema incident|storming the container ship ''Grande Tema'']] where four stowaways hijacked the ship, demanding to enter the UK.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Thames Estuary cargo ship 'stowaways' deny hijack bid|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-47334435|work=BBC|date=22 February 2019 |access-date=26 October 2020}}</ref>

On 25 October 2020, SBS personnel [[Nave Andromeda incident|stormed the oil tanker ''Nave Andromeda'']] south-east of the [[Isle of Wight]]. The vessel was suspected to have been hijacked by seven Nigerian stowaways seeking asylum in Britain, who were later handed over to Hampshire Police.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-54687379|title=Tanker stowaways: 'Hijacking' ends after special forces storm ship|work=BBC News|date=26 October 2020}}</ref><ref name=graun25oc20/>