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Australian special forces illegally killed 39 people in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016, according to a report.
The disclosure comes after a four-year investigation by the Australian Defense Force (ADF), which investigated 57 incidents, took testimony from hundreds of witnesses and reviewed more than 20,000 documents.
Speaking in the Australian capital of Canberra, General Angus John Campbell said: “The Inspector General]found that there was credible information to corroborate 23 incidents of alleged unlawful killing of 39 people by 25 members of the Australian Special Forces personnel, predominantly from the Special Air Services Regiment.. “
General Angus John Campbell said there was ‘credible information’ of war crimes
“The cases in which it has been found that there is credible information of a war crime are those in which it was, or should have been, of course that the person killed was a non-combatant,” he added.
Prisoners, farmers and other civilians are believed to be among the dead, and of the 25 perpetrators who were identified, some remain in service.
The report also found that none of the killings took place during “the heat of battle”, and that all the victims were found to be non-combatants or no longer combatants.
Before the report was released on Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke to Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani to apologize.
Morrison “expressed his deepest regret for the misconduct of some Australian troops in Afghanistan and assured the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan of investigations and of ensuring justice,” according to Ghani’s office.
The Australian prime minister had previously warned that Thursday’s report would contain “tough and tough news for Australians.”
Australian troops have been in Afghanistan since 2002, as part of a US-led mission to combat Taliban militants.
