Australia's Most Decorated Soldier Arrested on Multiple War Crimes Charges

Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, was arrested at Sydney Airport and will face five counts of war crime murder. The charges relate to the deaths of unarmed civilians in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, each carrying a possible life sentence. A former member of the Australian Defence Force, Roberts-Smith earned the Victoria Cross and other top honours during six tours in Afghanistan. He has always denied the allegations, which first emerged in 2018, and unsuccessfully challenged them in the country’s most expensive defamation trial. The Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator launched their inquiry in 2021. Investigators cite challenges in accessing crime scenes overseas, but say more cases are under review and additional charges could follow.

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