Australian defence troops have been hit with bombshell allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan
AUSTRALIAN defence troops have been hit with bombshell allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan, a confidential inquiry has revealed.
National
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MEMBERS of Australia’s elite special forces have been accused of committing war crimes in Afghanistan amid weak leadership and a lack of accountability, a confidential defence inquiry has found.
Special forces insiders described unsanctioned and illegal application of violence on operations and a disregard for human life and dignity, according to Fairfax Media, who obtained a leaked report.
The inquiry was commissioned in 2016 by the then-head of special forces, and the report was compiled by a consultant who interviewed soldiers and other defence personnel.
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The report also detailed “enormous and difficult challenges” the Australian government was facing to confront conduct that goes “well beyond blowing off steam” and involves “problems deeply embedded in the culture” of the elite taskforce at the spearhead of Australia’s mission in Afghanistan.
The report was undertaken by defence department consultant Dr Samantha Crompvoets.
The newspaper reported that Defence Minister Marise Payne had been briefed on the report’s contents.
“The IGADF Afghanistan Inquiry has, for some time, been aware of allegations of significant issues involving the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan, which are within the scope of the Inquiry,” a Defence statement said.
It is the latest bombshell update since an investigation into war-crime allegations was launched in 2016.
NSW judge Paul Brereton is heading the probe which is investigating the conduct of Australia’s special forces in Afghanisatan between 2001 and 2016. The Brereton investigation was prompted by the Crompvoets report.
Attempts to obtain the report under Freedom Of Information laws have previously been blocked.
More to come.
Originally published as Australian defence troops have been hit with bombshell allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan
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