A 47-year-old former Australian soldier faces war crime charges for allegedly killing five unarmed Afghan civilians between 2009 and 2012 during deployment in Afghanistan. Authorities arrested the veteran at Sydney Airport upon his arrival from Brisbane, with a court appearance scheduled in Sydney.
Details of the Allegations
Investigators claim the victims were not engaged in hostilities, had been detained, and were unarmed under the control of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members at the time of the killings. Prosecutors allege the soldier either shot the victims directly or ordered subordinates to do so.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett addressed reporters, stating: “It will be alleged that the victims were detained, unarmed and were under the control of ADF members when they were killed.” She added: “It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused.”
Second Veteran Facing Similar Charges
This marks the second such prosecution among Australian Afghanistan veterans. Former Special Air Service Regiment soldier Oliver Schulz, 44, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Afghan civilian Dad Mohammad by shooting him three times in the head in a Uruzgan province wheatfield in May 2012. War crime murder charges carry a potential life sentence.
Broader Context and Investigations
The charges stem from a 2020 military inquiry that uncovered evidence of elite SAS and commando units unlawfully killing 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers, and other noncombatants. Commissioner Barrett emphasized that the alleged actions involve only a small number of personnel.
“The alleged conduct related to these charges is confined to a very small section of our trusted and respected ADF which helps keep this country safe,” Barrett noted. “The overwhelming majority of our ADF do our country proud. Today’s charges are not reflective of the majority of members who serve under our Australian flag with honor, with distinction and with the values of a democratic nation.”
Director of Investigations Ross Barnett from the Office of the Special Investigator reported that authorities have probed 53 war crime allegations, concluding 39 without charges. Approximately 40,000 Australian troops served in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021, suffering 41 fatalities.
