CANBERRA: A highly decorated Australian former soldier has been arrested on charges of allegedly murdering unarmed prisoners during his deployment in Afghanistan, following a long-running war crimes investigation.
Australian Federal Police said a 47-year-old ex-special forces soldier has been taken into custody and is expected to face multiple charges of war crime, including five counts of murder linked to incidents between 2009 and 2012.
Authorities allege the victims were not involved in active combat at the time and were either shot directly or killed by subordinates acting on orders.
The suspect, widely identified in local media as Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, was once regarded as one of Australia’s most decorated war heroes for his service in Afghanistan.
However, allegations of serious misconduct first emerged in 2018, triggering extensive investigations and legal proceedings. He has consistently denied all accusations.
Investigators have previously examined claims of unlawful killings by Australian special forces during the Afghanistan conflict, including allegations involving civilians and detainees.
A major military inquiry earlier found evidence of unlawful killings by members of special forces units, prompting further criminal investigations into potential war crimes.
The case marks one of the most high-profile prosecutions to emerge from Australia’s military operations in Afghanistan, where thousands of troops served during the two-decade conflict.
