20 Nov 2020

Shocking Australian soldier Afghanistan war crimes allegations

From Nine To Noon, 9:08 am on 20 November 2020
Australian soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrol in Tirin Kot, the capital of Uruzgan province in Afghanistan on 17 February 2007.

Photo: AFP

Australian special forces may face prosecution for up to 39 murders and the torture of two others in Afghanistan.

This comes after a four-year inquiry into alleged war crimes by NSW Court of Appeal Justice Paul Brereton. 

The Brereton Report, released yesterday, found "credible information" supporting allegations that 25 current or former soldiers were involved in the murder of 39 Afghan civilians. 

The probe heard from more than 400 witnesses. 

Kathryn speaks to our Australia correspondent Karen Middleton who has three times been on assignment to Afghanistan and has published a book, "An Unwinnable war : Australia in Afghanistan" and also Chris Masters from the Age newspaper. Chris was the first Australian journalist to be embedded with special forces in Afghanistan.