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Ten Australian soldiers fired after release of war crimes report
Australia has issued termination notices to at least 10 special forces soldiers after the release of a report last week that found credible evidence of unlawful killings of 39 unarmed Afghan prisoners and civilians, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said on Thursday.
The report stated that 19 Australian soldiers were involved in the killings however, none were identified byt have been referred for possible prosecution.
However, ABC reported that 10 soldiers have been formally advised that they will be dismissed.
This comes after reports emerged late Wednesday that families of the victims have called for the alleged perpetrators to be tried in Afghanistan.
Some have also welcomed the possibility of compensation for the deaths of their family members.
“I need justice and also expect compensation for the loss and pain they have caused us,” Abdul Latif from Sarkhume village in Uruzgan province told ABC.
“If justice is done according to our Islamic law – because these crimes were committed in Afghanistan – these soldiers should be prosecuted according to Islamic law. If it is according to [Australian] law, they must imprison them for life,” said Abdul Latif, whose father Haji Sardar was found dead after a special forces raid. “We want both justice and compensation.”
The report meanwhile recommended that where there was “credible information” that an Afghan had been unlawfully killed, Australia should compensate the family before waiting for criminal liability to be established.
“This will be an important step in rehabilitating Australia’s international reputation, in particular with Afghanistan, and it is simply the right thing to do,” the report said.
But Australian legal experts say it is very unlikely any trials can be held outside Australia.
“The only way in which an Afghanistan prosecution could take place is if Australia waived the immunity, which is most unlikely,” Donald Rothwell, professor of international law at ANU told ABC.
“That would then also raise legal issues with respect to extradition.”
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Continued aid to Afghanistan vital for regional security: Kazakh president
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
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Islamic Emirate declines to attend Tehran meeting on Afghanistan
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Sirajuddin Haqqani: A government that intimidates its people is not a true government
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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