Australian soldiers stripped of medals over suspected war crimes

The Morning Edition

It's arguably the most shameful stain on Australia's military. In 2020, an inquiry concluded that there was credible information implicating 25 special forces personnel in alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

Four years on, the finding is still reverberating.

Last week, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced he would strip medals from a number of senior officers who served in Afghanistan. The move has drawn the ire of some veteran groups who argue no action should be taken until any charges are proven against soldiers.

Today, foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott on what the announcement means, and why one of the country's most famous special forces soldiers, Ben Robert Smith, still has his Victoria Cross medal.

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