Military personnel in Australia lose their medals over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Australia will revoke military awards from a small number of soldiers who served in command positions during the Afghanistan deployment. This decision follows the findings of a 2020 report on alleged war crimes, reports Bloomberg.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced the decision in a speech to Parliament on Thursday, calling the findings of Major-General Paul Brereton's report a matter of national shame.
At the same time, Marles, who is also the Defence Minister, stated that the report demonstrates to both the Australian public and the world that Australia is a country that holds itself accountable.
A government spokesperson confirmed to the agency that approximately 10 Australian soldiers will have their awards revoked.
Although the report did not find credible information indicating that command-level soldiers were aware of the alleged war crimes, Brereton stated that they bore moral command responsibility and accountability for what occurred under their command and control.
In related news, Republican members of the US House of Representatives recently accused President Joe Biden's administration of misleading Americans about the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, also claiming that the administration compromised the safety of American soldiers during the withdrawal.
