RASC News Agency: Australia has outlined the procedure for compensating the families of individuals who were “illegally” killed or harmed by its forces in Afghanistan. The country has expressed its willingness to compensate the families of the victims and has clarified the method for doing so. Notably, between 2005 and 2016, at least 39 civilians were killed by Australian forces in Afghanistan.
According to the Australian War Crimes Report, the country’s special security forces have been accused of killing 39 prisoners, farmers, or civilians in Afghanistan. In June of last year, the Australian Ministry of Defense announced that it was seeking ways to compensate the families of the alleged war crimes victims in Afghanistan. Australian media reported that the government has now announced the regulations for compensating the victims’ families.
Under these regulations, Australia will appoint a new attorney to evaluate compensation claims and investigate war crime allegations. However, it remains unclear who the defense attorney will be. The attorney’s investigation must establish reasonable and documented evidence of the victim or financial losses inflicted on civilians for compensation to be awarded. Additionally, the victim or affected individuals must not be members of a terrorist organization.
A spokesperson for the Australian Minister of Defense stated that the country is committed to implementing recommendations regarding compensation for the families of victims, which includes establishing a compensation pathway. Simultaneously, a spokesperson for the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: “Establishing a compensation plan for Afghanistani victims represents an important step forward.”
Australia’s decision to pay compensation follows the Australian Federal Court’s accusation last June of Roberts-Smith, the country’s most decorated veteran, of killing four Afghanistani people. Last year, a Taliban spokesperson invited Australian investigators to Afghanistan to examine the war crime allegations against their forces.
