At least 10 Australian Special Forces soldiers have received termination notices from the Department of Defence as the fallout from the Afghanistan war crimes inquiry begins.
Last week the Brereton report found there is “credible information” that Australian special forces soldiers killed 39 civilians or prisoners in the Afghanistan War.
Within days, Defence initiated action against current members of the elite Special Air Service Regiment.
A redacted version of the report by NSW Supreme Court judge Major General Paul Brereton was released last Thursday, and will be examined by a special investigator.
It says there is credible information of 23 incidents where “one or more” non-combatants or prisoners were killed “by or at the direction of Special Operations Task group in circumstances which, if accepted by a jury, ‘would be the war crime of murder’.”
In another two, the inquiry finds – if accepted – “would be the war crime of cruel treatment”.
The inquiry recommends 36 matters be referred to the AFP for criminal investigation which relate to “23 incidents that involve a total of 19 individuals”.
