Former Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan
Source: Associated Presd
World News
Former Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan
By ROD MCGUIRK
Updated 5:08 AM EDT, April 7, 2026
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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, faces war crime charges on allegations that he killed five unarmed Afghans while serving in Afghanistan from 2009 and 2012, police and media reported on Tuesday.
Police have not confirmed the name of the 47-year-old former soldier who was arrested Tuesday. But he has been widely reported in the media to be Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal who was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan.
Police charged him Tuesday with five counts of war crime murder. He will remain in custody overnight and make his first court appearance on Wednesday, a police statement said. ... He will potentially apply for release on bail Wednesday.
Roberts-Smith is only the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/australia-afghanistan-war-crime-murder-b428075a9980783863a8bcb7c70fb989