Multiple Australian military commanders have had their medals stripped over allegations of war crimes committed during the Afghanistan war, according to Defense Minister Richard Marles. The decision comes after Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton’s war crime investigation found that around 25 Australian Special Air Service Regiment and Commando Regiment troops were involved in the unlawful killings of 39 Afghans between 2005 and 2016. Marles described the allegations as some of the most serious Australian war crimes in history.
The removal of medals has sparked controversy, with the Australian Special Air Service Association criticizing the decision as a betrayal of soldiers’ courage and sacrifice. Marles clarified that the medals were not stripped due to personal wrongdoing by the officers, but rather as a reflection of command responsibility for the unit’s actions.
Despite no Australian veteran being convicted of a war crime in Afghanistan, former SAS trooper Oliver Schulz became the first to be charged with a war crime in 2023 for allegedly shooting a noncombatant in 2012. Additionally, civil court findings suggested that Australia’s most decorated living war veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, likely unlawfully killed four Afghans while serving as an SAS corporal.
The controversy surrounding the war crimes allegations highlights the challenges faced by the Australian military in holding individuals accountable for their actions during wartime. The removal of medals serves as a reminder of the complex and often controversial nature of military operations, especially in cases where allegations of misconduct and unlawful killings come to light.
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