KABUL (SW) – Survivors of the families who lost members in Australian military airstrikes over the past few years are demanding justice, claiming Australian forces attacked their homes, resulting in casualties.
Nabi, a resident of Chora district in Uruzgan, said that six members of his family were killed and three wounded due to Australian airstrikes. “Australian aircraft bombed our house; as a result, our home was destroyed and six family members were killed, with three others injured.”
Shamsullah, another resident of the district, recounted how several of his family members were killed or wounded in an Australian military attack on their home 16 years ago. He said, “Australian forces have committed horrific atrocities against our family; they are criminals and murderers who must be brought to trial.”
Families of victims of war crimes ‘perpetrated by the Australian military’ are calling on that government to prosecute soldiers responsible for unjustified killings of their loved ones.
Lately, the Australian government have announced they are reviewing a compensation scheme for families in Afghanistan whose members were unlawfully killed by the soldiers.
The statement reads: “We are in the process of establishing a compensation scheme for families affected by Australian war crimes in Afghanistan, which will include those who were killed or injured, and a lawyer will be appointed to investigate these claims.”
According to reports, between 2005 to 2016, at least 39 Afghan civilians were unlawfully killed by Australian forces without justification.
Since 2001, Australia deployed approximately 400 troops as part of international forces in Afghanistan, mainly stationed in Uruzgan.
