Mark Urban

Mark Urban has reported on defence and international affairs while writing military history for a broad audience. After a short period in the British Army, he covered defence for the Independent and later spent many years as diplomatic editor of BBC Newsnight, leaving the programme in 2024. Task Force Black examines British special forces operations in Baghdad after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and became a number-one Sunday Times bestseller. Urban's other books include Red Devils, Big Boys' Rules, Rifles, and The Skripal Files. He subsequently became a Sunday Times writer and columnist specialising in defence and foreign affairs.