Australia arrests country’s most decorated Afghanistan veteran

Ben Roberts-Smith, regarded as Australia’s most highly decorated living military figure, has been arrested on charges of war crimes committed in Afghanistan.

The 47-year-old veteran of the elite Special Air Service Regiment, who was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan, was taken into custody on April 7 at Sydney Airport following his arrival from Brisbane, The Washington Post reports.

He becomes just the second Australian veteran from the Afghanistan campaign to face war crime charges.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said at a press conference that Roberts-Smith faces five charges of murder as a war crime, each carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

According to investigators, the victims were not engaged in combat at the time of their deaths, were detained, unarmed, and under the control of Australian forces.

By Jeyhun Aghazada