Ex-Australian soldier arrested for alleged war crime in Afghanistan

A former Australian soldier has been charged with the war crime of murder for allegedly killing a civilian while on deployment in Afghanistan. This is the first time a serving Australian serviceman or veteran has been charged with such a crime. The arrest follows a four-year investigation into alleged crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. The long-awaited report by the inspector general of the Australian Defense Force concluded that Australian elite forces allegedly killed 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners unlawfully.