07.04.2026 14:10
Australia's most decorated former soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been arrested on charges of committing war crimes in Afghanistan.
Australia's most decorated former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been detained on allegations of committing war crimes in Afghanistan. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced that the 47-year-old former soldier Roberts-Smith was taken into custody at Sydney Airport.
"THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THESE CRIMES IS LIFE IMPRISONMENT"
The statement noted that Roberts-Smith would be tried on five separate charges of "murder under war crimes" for allegedly killing unarmed individuals during his service in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012, and that the maximum penalty for these crimes is life imprisonment. It was also mentioned that a total of 53 cases had been opened as part of the investigations, with active reviews being concluded for 39 of them due to insufficient evidence, while the process continues for 10 cases.
THE COUNTRY'S MOST DECORATED SOLDIER
Roberts-Smith, who holds the highest military honor awarded in Australia and left the army in 2013, is regarded as "the country's most decorated former soldier." The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) had previously investigated allegations that soldiers who served in Afghanistan committed war crimes. In a report published in November 2020, IGADF revealed that 39 Afghan civilians were killed by soldiers.
In 2023, Roberts-Smith lost a defamation case he filed against various newspapers and journalists following reports of his alleged war crimes during his service in Afghanistan.