Australia wants to cancel the medals of commanders who participated in the war in Afghanistan
The Australian government has decided to strip commanders of units involved in war crimes and "misconduct" in the war in Afghanistan. Australian elite forces are accused of unlawfully killing 39 civilians and prisoners in the Afghan war.
An 11-year official investigation into the unlawful killing of 39 civilians and prisoners by Australia's elite special forces in Afghanistan, Arab News reported.
Based on the findings of the investigation, Australia has decided to strip commanders of units involved in war crimes and "misconduct" in the war in Afghanistan.
Defense Secretary Richard Marles said the decision targeting commanders who were in power from 2005 to 2016 was necessary to "right the wrongs of the past."
About a dozen commanders will be stripped of their awards, but their names have not been released for privacy reasons.
According to Marles, the results of the 2020 investigation revealed "a subculture of elitism and a deviation from acceptable standards" that "requires the most serious, measured and thorough measures."
Almost all of the report's 143 recommendations, including revisions to medals, reparations and cultural reforms, were approved.
The inquiry has also suggested that the cases of 19 people be referred to the Australian Federal Police, but the process has been slow.
Marles said the commanders involved in Thursday's decision may not have been informed of the war crimes committed by their units, but they should have known what was going on. He promised to continue reforming the culture of the defense forces .
"Australia is a country that takes responsibility, " Marles said.
How and when medals are returned is determined by the Governor-General of Australia, the King's representative in the Commonwealth.
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, more than 26,000 Australian soldiers were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups .
Australian combat troops officially left Afghanistan at the end of 2013, but since then there have been numerous reports of illegal and inhumane actions by elite special forces units.
Former Special Air Service (SAS) Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith is the only person charged in the country with the killing of four Afghan prisoners last year. However, he has not been punished yet, and his case is still pending in court.
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