Australian defence force releases long-awaited Brereton report into allegations SAS committed war crimes in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2016. Follow live
I’m flitting now between the report and Campbell’s ongoing press conference. Campbell is asked about a recommendation in the report for compensation to the families of Afghan civilians who were allegedly killed unlawfully by SAS soldiers.
Campbell:
That is going to be something we will work with, both the wider government in Australia, and also the Afghan governments and elements of Afghan community to determine. But I very much support the recommendation of Justice Brereton.
Some of the incidents described in the report are jaw-dropping. Evidence suggests junior soldiers were instructed by their superiors to execute prisoners in cold blood as part of a “blooding” process to give them their first kill.
“Typically, the patrol commander would take a person under control and the junior member… would then be directed to kill the person under control,” the report found. “‘Throwdowns’ would be placed with the body and a ‘cover story’ was created for the purposes of operational reporting and to deflect scrutiny.”
