Australia to strip medals from veterans after alleged war crimes

Associated Press

Australia strips medals from military commanders over Afghanistan war crime allegations

Al Jazeera

Australia strips medals from Afghanistan war commanders

Newsweek

Medals Stripped From Military Commanders Over Afghan War Crime Allegations

Democracy Now

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Independent

Australia strips senior commanders of military honours over Afghanistan war crimes allegations

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles has stripped several serving and former military commanders of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) of their medals over alleged war crimes on their watch in Afghanistan.

Marles' announcement in parliament on Thursday comes after the 2020 Brereton Report found "credible evidence" that the ADF commanders unlawfully killed 39 people during the war in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021.

BBC News

The report alleged that at least 25 ADF personnel who served in Afghanistan forced their juniors to kill unarmed civilians as part of the military's "warrior culture" that went unchecked.

Arise News

Marles stated that the Office of the Special Investigator is conducting inquiries and investigating the possibility of prosecuting the commanders accused of war crimes. However, he said the process would "take years to complete."

While Marles didn't disclose the commanders' identities or the exact number of officers involved citing privacy concerns, local media has reported it's fewer than 10.

Last March, former Special Air Service Regiment trooper Oliver Schulz was charged with murdering an Afghan citizen in a wheat field in 2012, becoming the first of the ADF veterans to be charged with a war crime.

Australia Strips Commanders' Medals Over Alleged War Crimes

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Australia Strips Commanders' Medals Over Alleged War Crimes

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