Australia strips officers' medals for war crimes culture
Source: BBC
Australia strips officers' medals for war crimes culture
12 September 2024
Tiffanie Turnbull
BBC News, Sydney
Australia has stripped senior defence commanders of military honours over alleged war crimes committed under their watch in Afghanistan.
In parliament on Thursday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said they would lose their distinguished service medals, as recommended by a landmark inquiry which alleged there was an unchecked "warrior culture" within parts of the force.
The Brereton Report, released in 2020, found "credible evidence" that elite Australian soldiers unlawfully killed 39 people during the war in Afghanistan.
“This will always be a matter of national shame,” Mr Marles said.
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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87g7gpggjgo