Advertisement
Australia
AsiaAustralasia

Australia arrests ex-soldier accused of war crimes in Afghanistan

  • The 41-year-old is accused of murder, was expected to be charged with a war crime and could face life in prison if found guilty, police said
  • It comes more than two years after an internal investigation found 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners had been unlawfully killed by Australian forces

Reading Time:1 minute
Why you can trust SCMP
14
A 2020 inquiry revealed allegations of summary executions, body count competitions and torture by Australian forces in Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images
Agence France-Presse
An Australian former soldier was arrested on Monday over allegations that he murdered a man while deployed in Afghanistan, part of a long-running investigation into war crimes.
The arrest comes more than two years after a damning internal investigation found 39 civilians and prisoners had been “unlawfully killed” by Australian elite special forces.

A 41-year-old veteran was expected to be charged with a war crime and could face life in prison if found guilty, Australian Federal Police said.

Advertisement

“It will be alleged he murdered an Afghan man while deployed to Afghanistan with the Australian Defence Force,” police said in a statement.

Australia’s then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard meets Australian troops during a visit to a base in southern Afghanistan in 2010. Photo: Australian Department of Defence Handout via Reuters
Australia’s then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard meets Australian troops during a visit to a base in southern Afghanistan in 2010. Photo: Australian Department of Defence Handout via Reuters

It is the first time such a charge will be faced by a serving or former member of the defence force under Australian law, the police added.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x