MoD asked why it withheld evidence on 33 suspected Afghan civilian executions

Cache of documents raises questions about early 2011 killings by SAS soldiers

The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, has been ordered by a court to explain why the government withheld evidence suggesting SAS soldiers executed 33 civilians in Afghanistan in early 2011.

The minister has until autumn to explain why key emails and documents revealing official concern about the string of killings were not previously disclosed in a case relating to the deaths of four men from one family in a night raid.