Australia strips medals over Afghan war crimes

Australia is to strip medals from Afghanistan military commanders, whose units were involved in alleged war crimes, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday.

An official inquiry into the 11-year period — from 2005 to 2016 — honed in on the alleged unlawful killing of 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan by Australia's elite special forces.

Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton's probe found that some 25 Australian Special Air Service Regiment and Commando Regiment troops were involved in the unlawful killings of 39 Afghans.

'Most serious allegations of war crimes in our history' — Marles

"The allegations, which are the subject of the Brereton Report, are arguably the most serious allegations of Australian war crimes in our history," Marles told Parliament.

The four-year investigation revealed a "sub-culture of elitism and deviation from acceptable standards," Marles said, which "warranted the most serious, considered and thorough response."

Almost all recommendations have been adopted

Defense Minister Marles said that 139 of the report's 143 recommendations have been adopted — including a medal review, a compensation scheme and culture reform. A conclusion is still outstanding on the four remaining recommendations.

The Brereton Report also suggested 19 individuals be referred to Australian Federal Police, but this has proved to be an arduous process.

"Any prosecutions of Australian War Crimes will happen inside Australia by Australian courts," Marles added, calling the events "a matter of national shame."

Following the September 11 attacks, Australia sent more than 26,000 troops to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups.

jsi/kb (AP, dpa, Reuters, AFP)