The 47-year-old is due to appear in a court in New South Wales on Tuesday, facing five counts of murder as a war crime
Former Australian special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested at Sydney Airport and is expected to face charges over alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
The 47-year-old is due to appear in a court in New South Wales on Tuesday, facing five counts of murder as a war crime.
The charges relate to unarmed Afghan civilians who were “not taking part in hostilities at the time of their alleged killing,” Krissy Barrett told reporters in Sydney.
Barrett said the charges followed a “complex” investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator, which began in 2021.
The arrest comes after Roberts-Smith lost a defamation case against journalists who reported he was involved in the three Afghan men.
In 2023, a judge ruled that the reports did not defame him, and the decision was upheld by the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in May last year.
Rawan Arraf, executive director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, described the arrest as a “significant and long-awaited step for victims and affected communities” in Afghanistan, where Roberts-Smith served multiple tours.
She added that properly investigating and prosecuting alleged war crimes by Australian special forces is crucial to delivering justice for Afghan victims and ensuring Australia meets its international legal obligations.
Around 39,000 Australian troops were deployed to Afghanistan as part of operations led by the United States and NATO against the Taliban and other armed groups over two decades.
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