Allegations of murder and torture made against British soldiers by Iraqi detainees were "deliberate lies", a public inquiry has ruled.
The Al-Sweady Inquiry found claims that up to 20 Iraqis were killed and mutilated after a 2004 battle were "reckless speculation".
The allegations had been withdrawn from the inquiry earlier this year.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said most of the allegations against British soldiers were "entirely without merit".
Inquiry chairman Sir Thayne Forbes said some aspects of how the detainees had been treated did amount to ill treatment, but it was not deliberate ill treatment.
The "most serious allegations" which "have been hanging over these soldiers for the past 10 years" have been found to be "without foundation," he said.
To date the inquiry - set up in 2009 - has cost more than £24m.
'Exemplary courage'Sir Thayne said detainees who alleged they were tortured and abused - and subjected to mock executions - had given evidence that was "unprincipled in the extreme" and "wholly without regard to the truth".
The hearing took evidence about the actions of soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, who were ambushed by insurgents, leading to a three-hour gun battle that became known as the Battle of Danny Boy.
The report found that soldiers responded to the ambush with "exemplary courage, resolution and professionalism".
It said that the conduct of some individual soldiers and some of the procedures of the military "fell below the high standards normally to be expected of the British army".
The report found that:
- The detainees should have been given some privacy while being strip-searched and should have been given proper food when they were first detained
- They should not have been deprived of sleep before they were questioned or shouted at during interrogation
- They were deprived of sight by being made to wear blacked-out goggles for prolonged periods when this had no security purpose
It also described as "ill treatment" an interrogator banging a tent peg on a table and walking around a blindfolded detainee blowing on the back of his neck.
It is understood that the former Iraqi detainees - who are now known to have been armed insurgents at the time - will not pursue claims of compensation.
Analysis By Norman Smith, Assistant Political Editor, BBC NewsIt's a very symbolic case for the British military because the charges were so grave, namely the mutilation of bodies of Iraqis and suggestions of torture.
"These were very serious allegations which the soldiers involved and the Ministry of Defence have always contested all the way along following what became as the Battle of Danny Boy when these British soldiers where ambushed by Iraqi insurgents.
I think the view in British military circles was they had to contest this, they had to absolutely demonstrate their innocence which is why I think this process has taken so long.
They needed to absolutely check everything out and show nothing was being hidden because if there had been any lingering suspicion that British soldiers had been involved in torture, the ramifications in terms of the standing of the British military, would have been hugely profound.
I imagine it's a massive, massive relief and also a sense of vindication on the part of the MoD.
The inquiry was named after Hamid Al-Sweady, a 19-year-old student whose father Mizal Karim Al-Sweady claimed he was murdered after being detained.
Sir Thayne said perhaps the "most significant lie of many" was that Hamid Al-Sweady had been alive when he was captured.
Mr Fallon said the inquiry had "utterly rejected all claims of murder and torture as deliberate and calculated lies".
"This is unsurprising as we have long said there was no credible evidence to back up these claims. Regrettably a public inquiry was necessary to put to rest false allegations that were championed by two law firms at great expense to the taxpayer.
"Whilst the vast majority of the accusations against the British military were wholly and entirely without merit and the Army's use of force was entirely appropriate, there were some instances of ill-treatment.
"However I am satisfied that those incidents would not occur today thanks to changes made since 2004, including as a result of the Baha Mousa Inquiry."
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