Senior officers in Australia not penalized for war crimes

KABUL (Tolo News): Documents indicate that senior officers of Australian troops allegedly involved in war crimes from the 20-year NATO presence in Afghanistan have yet to be investigated, Australia’s ABC news reported.
Based on information obtained by the Australian media, 21 officials who served in Afghanistan have been instructed to “learn from their experiences.” However, at least 17 lower-ranked soldiers were issued termination notices for “alleged failure to meet ADF (Australian Defense Forces) expectations and values.” “My decision to suspend potential administrative action means that these officers will still be able to continue their careers in the army, which may include currently planned or future promotions, posting selections and changes to service category,” General Angus Campbell wrote to the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr.
The Islamic Emirate said that the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan over the past two decades was illegal and that the individuals involved in war crimes must be held accountable. “The coming of foreign countries to our country was illegal and oppressive–an invasion. The crimes which occurred are another issue. But now that a decision is being made in this regard, it is a good thing,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
The Australian troops in Afghanistan are accused of committing war crimes including killing civilians between 2005 and 2016. “Any type of investigation without the presence of Afghans is a one-sided investigation. The world powers do not adhere to international law. This will not have any effect on the people of Afghanistan,” said Hekmatullah Hekmat, a military analyst. Under the US-NATO led mission, Australia deployed nearly 40,000 troops to Afghanistan.