Australia strips military officers of war medals over Afghanistan war crimes

Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles has revoked distinguished service medals from several Australian Defence Force (ADF) officers in response to findings from the Brereton Report, which uncovered alleged war crimes in Afghanistan under their command.

The exact number of officers affected remains undisclosed but is fewer than ten.

This decision is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to address accountability following the 2020 report, which recommended investigations into 19 soldiers for the killing of 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners, as well as the mistreatment of two others.

Although the report found no evidence that higher-ranking commanders were aware of the crimes, it held them morally responsible for the actions of their units.

While some commanders have lost their honours, former Chief of Defence Force Angus Campbell, who led Australian forces in the Middle East, retains his Distinguished Service Cross.

The government has finalised its response to nearly all of the report’s 143 recommendations and has launched a compensation process for victims of Australian military misconduct.

However, inquiries by the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) into potential prosecutions continue and are expected to take years.

The decision has sparked controversy within the defence community. Critics, including some veterans' groups and political figures like Senator Jacqui Lambie, have condemned the timing, which coincides with the release of a royal commission report into Defence and Veterans Suicide.

Others argue the investigation did not go far enough up the chain of command to hold top officers accountable.

Despite the criticism, Marles emphasized the importance of holding Australia accountable for the war crimes and praised the courage of those who brought the allegations to light.