UK army probes reports of soldiers shooting Corbyn picture

The British army has launched a probe into a film circulating on the social media showing soldiers practicing a shooting session with image of the opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn as their target.

An army spokesman said on Wednesday that the investigation had been launched after the army became aware of the footage which showed soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, using an image of Corbyn for target practice on a firing range.

“This behavior is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the army expects, a full investigation has been launched,” said the official.

Corbyn, a Labour member for nearly 50 years, has a high chance of becoming next UK prime minister given an ongoing political standoff over the ruling Conservative Party’s way of handling the country’s withdrawal from the European Union.

The veteran politician has repeatedly been targeted in the UK for his special view on social and foreign policy issues, especially his campaigns for the rights of the Palestinians and his opposition to the practices of the Israeli regime in the occupied territories.

Corbyn was attacked while visiting a major mosque in north London last month. The attack, carried out by a man opposed to Labour leader’s views on Brexit, went almost unnoticed in the British media.

Senior Labour Party lawmakers condemned the shooting practice involving Corbyn’s image.

A Labour spokesman said the party was expecting the UK defense ministry to conduct a thorough investigation into the “alarming and unacceptable” move.

Angela Rayner, a Labour frontbencher, said the move was “absolutely disgraceful” amid the heightened political tensions in Britain over Brexit.

“I hope the investigation will be conducted thoroughly and the conclusions made public,” Rayner said.