Australian Special Forces personnel are being investigated over 55 incidents in Afghanistan

Australian Special Forces personnel who worked in Afghanistan are being investigated over 55 incidents, including unlawful killings and cruel treatment of civilians.

Australian Army soldiers are being investigated over incidents in Afghanistan. Picture: File

Military investigators are examining claims Australian Special Forces personnel in Afghanistan were involved in the unlawful killings of non-combatants.

The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force has confirmed investigations are underway into 55 incidents or issues alleged to involve Special Forces personnel operating in Afghanistan.

In his annual report, tabled in federal parliament, James Gaynor said the four-year “Afghanistan inquiry’’ was in the final stages of collecting evidence.

It was launched in 2016 to investigate rumours concerning the behaviour of some members of the Special Forces who had been alleged to have breached the Law of Armed Conflict.

The report says this is “predominantly unlawful killings of person who were non-combatants or were no longer combatants, but also ‘cruel treatment’ of such persons’’.

Australian Special Forces members are being investigated over unlawful killings and cruel treatment of people in Afghanistan. Picture: File

“The inquiry is also examining incidents relevant to the organisational, operational and cultural environment which may have enabled the alleged Law of Armed Conflict breaches,’’ it says.

The report goes on to say that the inquiry “is not focused on decisions made during the ‘heat of battle’. “Rather, its focus is the treatment of persons who were clearly non-combatants or who were no longer combatants.’’

He does not name any individuals involved.

It was the first time the Inspector-General had publicly confirmed the detailed nature of the investigations.

The report also shows that Special Forces members are among the 338 witnesses who have been examined and that some had overcome initial reluctance to give evidence.

“It has taken some years for members of the Special Forces community — both those who continue to serve and former members — to develop sufficient confidence in the inquiry and the genuineness of Defence senior leaderships’ desire to find out if the rumours are true, to be prepared to make disclosures to the inquiry,’’ the report states.

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is among those caught up in the inquiry. He has vehemently denied allegations of wrongdoing. He is suing Fairfax over those allegations he says are false.

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Originally published as Australian Special Forces personnel are being investigated over 55 incidents in Afghanistan