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Australia’s top military official admitted Thursday that there was credible evidence that special forces “illegally killed” at least 39 Afghan civilians and non-combatants and apologized to the Afghan people.
“To the Afghan people, on behalf of the Australian Defense Forces, I sincerely and unconditionally apologize for any illegal action by Australian soldiers,” General Angus Campbell said in a statement that emerged after an investigation into the war crimes, which has been going on for years.
“Some patrols have broken the law, the rules have been broken, stories made up, lies told and prisoners killed,” added the Australian army chief.
The 25 special forces members accused of misconduct in 23 cases left a “flaw” on their regiment, the military and Australia, he added, recommending the war crimes indictment. Nineteen will be investigated.
“This shameful record includes alleged cases in which new patrol members were forced to shoot a prisoner to carry out their first murder, in a horrific practice,” General Campbell said.
The military also announced the revocation of some medals awarded to Special Operations Forces who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013.
After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, more than 26,000 Australian soldiers were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside allied and US forces against the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Islamic extremist groups.
Australian combat troops left the country in 2013, but a number of often brutal stories have emerged about the conduct of elite special forces units since then.
And since then, Australian media have reported a number of very serious allegations against Australian forces, such as the case of a man allegedly shot down to make way for a helicopter, or the case of a six-year-old boy killed in a house raid. .
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