SYDNEY – At least 13 Australia special forces soldiers face dismissal Friday, according to a head of the country’s army, after the release of a report that found credible evidence of unlawful killings in Afghanistan.
A year-long investigation las week reported at least 19 current and former Australian soldiers will be referred for potential criminal prosecution for allegedly killing 39 Afghan locals, the majority of whom had been unarmed and captured.
Lieutenant General Rick Burr, the head of the Australian army, said the soldiers have been issued with “administrative action notices,” which would terminate their service in two weeks unless they successfully appealed, as AL Jazeera reported.
Burr did not identify any of the 13 soldiers, but said they were not among the 19 current and former soldiers who face possible criminal charges.
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“We are all committed to learning from the inquiry and emerging from this a stronger, more capable and effective army,” he said, as the report quoted.
“Each matter and individual circumstance will be considered on a case-by-case basis.”
Australia’s most senior military official apologized to Afghanistan last week after the release of the report.
