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Special Forces crisis as just five recruits pass notoriously-difficult selection course

SAS and SBS forces are facing a major manning crisis after the number of troops passing the notoriously difficult selection dropped to lowest level in 50 years.

[Billy Billingham]

Billy Billingham wants National Service reintroduced (Image: Minnow Films)

Britains elite special forces are facing a major manning crisis after the number of troops passing the notoriously difficult selection dropped to less than 10 for the first time in 50 years. Defence sources have told the Daily Star Sunday that just five recruits out of a selection course of more than 120 passed.

More than 50 soldiers and members of the Royal Marines hoping to join either the SAS or the SBS failed the course during the first week. Those who passed were said to be almost broken by the six-month selection course.

Some troops lost up to a stone in weight while others developed skin conditions training in the jungle. One source told us: There is a view that special forces selection is now harder than ever. Certainly, the number passing is worryingly low.

[Who Dares Wins - SAS go in. Iranian Embassy 1980]

SAS leap into action: Iranian Embassy Siege may 1980(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

"All of the successful candidates had lost a lot of weight and needed a period of recovery before continuing with their training. But this is the price you pay for trying to get into the worlds most elite fighting force.

Britains special forces are currently deployed on operations around the world, including in Iraq and Syria.

Recently, a member of the Special Forces Support Group was killed during a training mission in Ukraine. The special forces are often understrength and are always challenged by maintaining high standards and meeting military commitments.

Members of the SAS Association have claimed that troops are quitting the elite regiment because of the governments decision not to give Northern Ireland veterans an amnesty from prosecution.

But Defence Minister Al Cairns, a former SBS commander who was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order in Afghanistan, dismissed the claim, saying there was no evidence supporting it.

Special Forces selection is broken down into a series of phases. First is the three-week-long Hills Phase, which takes place in the Brecon Beacons in Wales.

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(Image: Getty Images)

Candidates have to complete a series of marches carrying a pack of up to 30kg along with a rifle.

The Hills phase culminates in the Long Drag, a 64km trek that must be completed in under 20 hours.

The Jungle phase comes next and takes place in Brunei and is regarded as the most demanding stage of the entire selection course.

The next phase tests a candidates ability to operate and survive behind enemy lines under a training process known as SERE - Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract. Continuation training comes next, and those left have to demonstrate that they can quickly master a variety of different weapons.

An MOD spokesperson said: We are immensely proud of our Armed Forces and their extraordinary contribution to keeping the UK safe at home and abroad. It is a longstanding policy of successive Governments not to comment on UK Special Forces.

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