Australian general says US warns war crime allegations could prevent work with Australia’s SAS

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s defense force chief says the U.S.  government has warned that allegations of war crimes against Australian soldiers in Afghanistan could prevent U.S. forces from working with Australia’s Special Air Service Regiment. Gen. Angus Campbell told a Senate committee on Wednesday that he received a letter from the U.S. defense attache in Canberra on March 2021 suggesting the SAS may have been “tainted” by the allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan raised in an Australian investigation report. Campbell said one individual had his “posted position adjusted” following the letter. The so-called Brereton report had detailed “credible information” that Australian soldiers had unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners and civilians.