The Australian government on Thursday removed military honours for top Australian Defence Force commanders following the end of an investigation into suspected war crimes perpetrated by personnel under their command in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that they would lose their distinguished service medals, as recommended by the four-year Brereton enquiry, which concluded in 2020 that there was “credible information” that troops in the country’s special forces had unlawfully killed 39 civilians during operations in Afghanistan in 2015-2016. According to former Justice Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton’s report, even if troop, squadron, and task group leaders were unconscious of the alleged war crimes, they had “moral command responsibility and accountability” and hence should not retain honours granted for distinguished service during wartime.

The government did not offer any additional details in its final answer to 139 of the 143 enquiry findings, citing privacy laws but told local media the numbers of commanders who has been stripped of medals awarded for their services during periods proximate to the incidents” was fewer than 10.

The remaining four recommendations remain on hold pending an investigation by the independent Office of the Special Investigator, which was established to prepare any prosecutions that may occur as a result of the findings, and the announcement does not apply to suspects who are still being investigated on war crimes claims. Dozens more soldiers are apparently being investigated for possible war crimes, but just one has been charged: former SAS trooper Oliver Jordan Schulz. He is accused of shooting and killing a 26-year-old male noncombatant in a field in Uruzgan province in 2012. “This will always be a matter of national shame,” Marles informed lawmakers.

At the same time, the Brereton report, its recommendations, and subsequent governments’ actions in adopting these recommendations demonstrate to the Australian people and the rest of the world that Australia holds itself accountable.” Marles lauded the “sacred service” of the vast majority of ADF troops also stationed in Afghanistan, and thanked individuals who came out about suspected atrocities and provided information to the enquiry. “In speaking out, there were acts of bravery which rank in the highest echelon,” claimed the politician. Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie stated that while the inquiry’s conclusion was tough, the reality had to be confronted.

The crucible of combat has demonstrated that our men are capable of extraordinary courage under fire. It has also demonstrated that we can cause significant harm on the battlefield,” Hastie remarked. However, the revelation aroused the ire of certain veterans organisations, with the Australian SAS Association claiming that the claims were unfounded and accusing the government of abandoning “the courage and sacrifice of the men they sent to fight and die in our country’s name.” “In the week a royal commission has reported to the Australian people the startling rate of suicide amongst veterans due to their mistreatment, Minister Marles has spat at feet of the twenty thousand young men and women who fought terrorism in Afghanistan,” Martin Hamilton-Smith, the nation’s chairman, said.