The report on Australian troops' war crimes in Afghanistan has triggered a rethinking of Australia's officially-declared commitment to rule-based world order, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2020) The report on Australian troops' war crimes in Afghanistan has triggered a rethinking of Australia's officially-declared commitment to rule-based world order, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
Last Thursday, Australian army chief Angus Campbell released a report implicating the Australian military of war crimes committed in Afghanistan. The report contains data about 39 counts of murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian elite troops from 2005-2016.
"Mass systemic grave crimes that had been committed throughout many years by Australian elite troops against Afghan people prompt a reassessment of Canberra officials' declarations of commitment to a rule-based world order. What sort of rules are those?" Zakharova said at a briefing.
The inquiry into alleged war crimes by Australians in Afghanistan had been ongoing for four years. The final report disclosed 25 Australian special forces personnel responsible for the unlawful killings, 19 of whom will potentially face criminal prosecution.
As reported by UK newspaper Daily Mail, in the three weeks prior to and after the report's public release, nine Australian soldiers killed themselves. While there has been no indication that their suicides are linked to the report's findings, the newspaper notes that it is an unprecedented number over such a short period for the Australian army.
