Australia Revokes Honors Over Afghanistan War Crimes

In response to the Brereton Report, Defence Minister Richard Marles has stripped fewer than 10 senior Australian military commanders of their medals due to alleged war crimes committed by troops under their command in Afghanistan. The report, released in 2020, found credible evidence of 39 unlawful killings by elite Australian soldiers. Marles emphasized that this decision addresses the moral and command accountability of these officers. The government has addressed 139 out of 143 recommendations from the report, with ongoing criminal investigations and a compensation scheme for Afghan victims. The decision does not affect those directly accused of committing the crimes but focuses on the chain of command. Privacy concerns have kept specific names and positions confidential.