Australian SAS officers knew about unlawful ‘throwdowns’ on dead Afghans, report says
Nothing done to stop planting weapons on dead Afghans, ADF inspector says, as ‘breakdown of command’ allowed ‘egregious behaviour’ Get our daily political email , free app or daily news podcast Some Australian SAS officers knew that soldiers under their command were using “throwdowns” – planting weapons on dead Afghan civilians to portray them as combatants – but did nothing to stop the unlawful…
A recently released military report reveals that Australian SAS officers were aware of unlawful "throwdowns" on the bodies of dead Afghan civilians but did not take action to stop it, according to the inspector general of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF). The report, commissioned by former defense force chief Angus Campbell in 2021, found that a breakdown of command and erosion of military discipline resulted in egregious behavior during special forces operations in Afghanistan.
SAS officers allowed a "uncontrolled 'warrior' ethos" to develop, contributing to moral injury and impaired decision-making among soldiers. The report also identified the use of "throwdowns" as a known breach, yet officers failed to stop it, signaling a broader breakdown of military discipline within the SAS regiment.
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