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Elite special forces are some of the best-trained and most formidable units a country can boast. They go where other soldiers fear to tread, scoping out potential threats, taking out strategic targets, and conducting daring rescue missions. These really are the best of the best. Although it's extremely difficult to rank these forces relative to one another, there are some units that rise above the rest in their track record and the fear they instill in their adversaries. These soldiers have been through rigorous training exercises designed to weed out those who can't hit their exacting standards. In a world...

EXCLUSIVE Stig was SAS Hero  RACING driver Ben Collins, unmasked yesterday as Top Gear mystery man The Stig, is a former member of the SAS. Ben trained SAS heroes in daring "escape and evade" driving skills while serving with the regiment, The Sun can reveal.     No more mystery nice guy ... Ben Collins aka The Stig   Millions of viewers have seen the race ace coaching celebrities on how to achieve the fastest time around a TV circuit in Top Gear's reasonably-priced car. But sources close to the special forces unit - motto Who Dares Wins - last night...

AUSTRALIAN special forces in Afghanistan have avenged the death of commando Gregory Sher by killing the Taliban leader who orchestrated the fatal rocket attack of a week ago. As Private Sher was buried in Melbourne yesterday at a service attended by Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull, Defence chief Angus Houston was in Afghanistan to console and congratulate the troops that moved against Taliban insurgents last week. "It is quite clear you made them pay for the death of a comrade," Air Chief Marshal Houston told the special forces soldiers at their Tarin Kowt base in southern Afghanistan... Houston confirmed one...

Major Sebastian Morley is understood to be disgusted over the deaths of four his soldiers who were killed when their lightly armoured Snatch Land Rover hit a landmine in Helmand province earlier this year. Defence sources insisted that his departure was for "purely personal reasons". However, it is understood that he was unhappy at the continued use of the Snatch, despite its obvious vulnerability.

The American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is in the Western Australian captial, Perth. She is in the country for a short, unofficial visit after attending a regional security forum in Singapore. Dr Rice touched down on a US airforce jet with the foreign minister, Stephen Smith, and was greeted by the WA premier, Alan Carpenter, the immigration minister, Chris Evans, and the US ambassador. The secretary of state is visiting as a personal guest of Mr Smith, and will not hold any official diplomatic talks while in Australia. Dr Rice will meet troops from the Special Air Services regiment,...

Defense officials in New Zealand say two special forces soldiers have been wounded in an operation in Afghanistan. A brief statement says the soldiers were in central Afghanistan and were evacuated by helicopter to a medical facility where their condition was satisfactory. Local television in New Zealand says the injuries were the result of an exchange of gunfire with local people, but defense officials refused to release details. New Zealand has deployed about 50 Special Air Service personnel to Afghanistan.