THE British army has confirmed it is investigating after a video was shared on social media showing soldiers shooting at an image of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Footage captured in Kabul, Afghanistan, shows personnel from 3rd battalion parachute regiment using the Islington North MP as target practice on a simunition range.
It is understood it was a non-lethal hardened wax substance aimed and fired at the image instead of metal bullets, with the incident taking place in the past few days.
An army spokesman said it is aware of the video circulating on social media.
"This behaviour is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the army expects. A full investigation has been launched," he added.
Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith described the Twitter video as "shocking and completely unacceptable", adding it was "right that the Army is carrying out a full investigation".
A Labour Party spokesman said: "This behaviour is alarming and unacceptable. We have confidence in the ministry of defence to investigate and act on this incident."
Labour MP Stella Creasy said the "awful" video "damages the well deserved professional standing" of the army.
She tweeted: "Not going to promote the awful video of soldiers doing target practice with a picture of Jeremy Corbyn but it's appalling – completely unacceptable and frightening to threaten violence to any politician.
"It also damages the well-deserved professional standing of rest of the army."
SNP leader and Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted, commenting: "This is appalling and the mod is right to launch a full investigation."
Commons Speaker John Bercow condemned the footage and said he would be "horrified" if service personnel behaved in such a way to any MP.
Labour's Paul Sweeney, raising a point of order, asked Mr Bercow if he shared his "alarm and dismay" about the footage, adding: "As a former reservist as well, it flies in the face of all the values and standards that members of the British army should uphold, and should this house not express its deep dismay and disgust at the conduct of those soldiers?"
Mr Bercow replied: "It should and I believe you are doing so on behalf of colleagues across the house."
He said it was "absolutely right" an investigation was taking place before adding: "Frankly, I would be horrified if our service personnel were to behave in such a way in relation to any member of this house or the representative of any political point of view embodied in a democratic political party.
"It's simply an unconscionable way to behave so I entirely endorse what [Mr Sweeney] has said.
"I've no wish to raise the temperature but rather in the most solemn way to underscore the importance and utter validity of what he has just said."
Theresa May's official spokesman said: "This is clearly unacceptable. The mod are now conducting a full investigation."
The spokesman said Mrs May was aware of the video's content but had not seen it.
Asked why she had not voiced her opinion at prime minister's questions in the commons, the spokesman said that she responded to the questions she was asked by MPs.
Speaking to Sky News, commander of 16 air assault brigade, Nick Perry, said the army is conducting a full investigation, is keen to get to the bottom of the incident, and is "obviously taking this extremely seriously".
"The video shows totally unacceptable behaviour and a serious error of judgment that falls far below the behaviour that we expect of our soldiers in the brigade," he added.
