Former Australian soldier to be charged with Afghan’s murder

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Police have charged the first Australian veteran for an alleged murder in Afghanistan three years after a war crime investigation found that 19 Australian special forces soldiers could face charges for illegal conduct during the conflict. A police statement says a 41-year-old man was arrested Monday in New South Wales state and charged with the war crime of murder. He faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted. A military report released in 2020 after a four-year investigation found evidence that Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians. The report recommended 19 current and former soldiers face criminal investigation.