Special Forces soldiers accused of war crimes will not be tried by international courts – the Morrison government will appoint a special investigator to bring rogue SAS personnel and commandos to justice under Australian law, as part of a process that could take up to 10 years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned the nation to brace for ‘‘disturbing’’ allegations uncovered by a four-year inquiry into the conduct of Australia’s elite troops in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016, and the government is not ruling out stripping medals, sacking commanders and abolishing the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR).