Ten days ago we learned that the Australian government was attempting to prosecute Australian journalists for exposing Australian war crimes in Afghanisatan. Meanwhile, today we have news of another war crime - a massacre of civilians by Australian special forces:
Australian special forces killed up to 10 unarmed Afghan civilians during a 2012 raid in Kandahar Province, ABC Investigations can reveal.
The raid is believed to be the worst one-day death toll uncovered to date of alleged unlawful killings by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Afghan witnesses and Australian sources have told the ABC that the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) operation left a number of Taliban dead.
But both say civilians were also shot during the frenzied raid, including a group of unarmed villagers near a tractor.
This isn't just an accident - the killing is described as a "mass-shooting" of obvious civilians. SAS troops were reportedly unhappy about it. But in the usual way of the ADF, the entire thing was covered up and swept under the carpet. Now, hopefully, there'll be some justice for the dead.
