MILITARY cops are still investigating over 140 alleged war crimes committed in Iraq by British troops – despite claims the probes would end this year.

Last February then Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced the hated IHAT probe would close with the total remaining cases set to drop to around 20.

And MoD officials bragged service cops would “complete the remaining investigations” as early as the end of this year – 12 months ahead of schedule.

But figures released by the MoD yesterday confirmed there are 51 ongoing investigations into 144 allegations of wrongdoing.

Of that 27 are full investigations while 24 are lines of enquiry – not full-blown probes.

Each investigation can contain multiple allegations.

Insiders last night claimed the target of completing all work by the end of this year was an aspiration rather than a promise, but critics were dismayed by the lack of progress.

Campaigning MP Johnny Mercer, a former Army officer, called the investigation of troops a “fundamental injustice” – saying action only gets taken when pressure is applied.

He said: “If that is what it takes to drive this forward, I’m more than happy to ramp this up again.”

Former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, Col Richard Kemp, said: “We were told by Sir Michael Fallon that the legal hounding of our troops would end and that is what should have happened.

“It is disgraceful that this vendetta is still in full swing.

“Every case represents several British soldiers and veterans whose lives are being made a misery, years after their service in Iraq ended.

“Some soldiers have been pursued for decades, with their lives ruined.

“This is the government’s fault and they are doing it to appease the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights, neither of which should have any jurisdiction over British troops fighting for their country.”

IHAT – the £57m independent unit set up in 2010 to probe war crimes slurs – was closed last summer.

The remaining cases were absorbed by the Royal Navy Police.

Insiders said allegations were being dismissed – but conceded the number of investigations had not come down significantly since last July.

An MoD Spokesperson, said: “The service police are on track to meet the target of having the vast majority of their work complete by the end of 2018.

“They are making sure this is done as quickly and diligently as possible and have already disposed of over 1000 allegations, some 88% of their case load.”