Stralia has revoked senior defence leaders of military decorations for alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Richard Marles told parliament on Thursday that they would lose their distinguished service medals, as recommended by a landmark probe that alleged an unregulated “warrior culture” inside portions of the army.

The Brereton Report, published in 2020, found “credible evidence” that elite Australian soldiers unlawfully killed 39 civilians during the Afghanistan war.

“This will always be a matter of national shame,” Mr. Marles stated.

“At the same time… [this is] a demonstration to the Australian people and to the world, that Australia is a country which holds itself accountable.”

He did not confirm the number of policemen involved, but local media reports that it is less than ten.

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Marles also stated that the great majority of Australian defence personnel sent to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021 provided “sacred service” and applauded those who helped reveal the alleged wrongdoing.

Those under investigation for war crimes, including Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, are unaffected by the judgment.

He denies any involvement, but in a high-profile defamation case last year, he was found on the balance of evidence to have murdered four defenseless detainees. He has not faced any criminal charges in connection with the allegations.

The civil trial marked the first time a court had heard claims of war crimes by Australian forces.

According to local media, dozens of Australian servicemen are also under investigation for possible war crimes. So yet, only one person has been charged: former SAS soldier Oliver Schulz.

Former Justice Paul Brereton found no credible evidence that officers at the top of the command chain were aware of the alleged war crimes, but he did say troop, squadron, and task group commanders “bear moral command responsibility and accountability” for what occurred under their watch.

He stated that they could not “in good conscience” retain their distinguished service medals, which are awarded for exemplary leadership in wartime operations.

Veterans have long struggled with the issue of command responsibility.

Some officers believe they are being unfairly punished for the wrongdoing of others, but a government-commissioned report in May found “there is ongoing anger and bitter resentment” that their senior officers have not “publicly accepted some responsibility for policies or decisions that contributed to the misconduct”.

In response to the decision to remove the officers’ medals, opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie, a former SAS member, stated that Australia must “learn from this tragic and bitter chapter in our military history”.

“Our warriors must tell the truth, and leaders must seek it out. “If both our soldiers and our leaders had done so, we might not be here today,” he stated.