The investigation stated that the former soldier was shot by a ‘comrade’ in Ukraine

The investigation found that a former soldier who traveled to Ukraine to provide medical assistance on the front line was unlawfully killed by a “comrade”.

Daniel Burke, 36, from Manchester, went missing in August 2023 while he was staying in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya region, a hearing at Manchester Coroner’s Court was told on Friday.

A “suspect”, who was not named during the trial but was known to Manchester Police as Nourine Abdelfetah, led Ukrainian authorities to her body the following month and claimed he had shot her by accident.

Coroner Zak Golombek said: “Daniel died with courage and bravery and yet, sadly and tragically, he was killed for cowardice and dishonor.”

Detective Sergeant Danielle Bullivant told the inquest that Mr Burke founded Dark Angels, a group of military personnel who went to the front line to evacuate the wounded.

The inquest was told Mr Burke had previously traveled to Syria to fight against ISIS after being “severely affected” by the events in Manchester in May 2017, in which 22 people were killed in the Manchester Arena bombing.

Ms Bullivant confirmed that the suspect, known by the pseudonym “Jihadi Man”, had been working with Mr Burke in Ukraine and that they were “comrades”.

Mr Burke said he spoke to his family in the morning of August 11 and planned to contact them via Facetime later that day.

CCTV showed him spending the day with the suspect and going to an abandoned training ground in the afternoon.

The inquest heard the suspect was interviewed as part of police investigations following Mr Burke’s disappearance and was given different versions of events.

He led police to Mr Burke’s body and told them he had accidentally killed him during a training exercise.

He claimed to have fired at least two shots; one by accident while carrying Mr. Burke on a training exercise, and the other for unknown reasons.

The court heard a forensic autopsy found Mr Burke had been shot at least three times, in the head, lower neck and mid-chest.

Ms. Bullivant said that the results of ballistic examinations carried out in Ukraine showed that accidental discharge of the AKS74U gun was impossible.