Former Australian SAS Soldier Arrested Over Alleged Afghanistan War Crimes

A former Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) soldier has been arrested and charged with multiple war crimes relating to alleged incidents during deployments to Afghanistan, marking a significant development in Australia's long running war crimes investigations.

Australian Federal Police arrested former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith on 7 April 2026 following a multi year investigation conducted by the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) and federal authorities.

Roberts Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier and a Victoria Cross recipient, has been charged with five counts of war crime murder relating to alleged incidents in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

Authorities allege that several Afghan civilians were unarmed, detained, or under control of Australian forces at the time of the alleged killings.

Prosecutors claim the accused either directly carried out the killings or ordered others to do so.

The charges relate to three separate incidents during Australian special forces operations in Afghanistan, including Alleged killing of a detainee during a 2012 operation

Alleged executions of surrendered individuals during a 2009 raid

Alleged killing of civilians during operations in 2012

Investigators say the case is particularly complex, as authorities cannot access alleged crime scenes in Afghanistan or obtain physical forensic evidence, relying largely on witness testimony and available operational material.

The arrest stems from the 2020 Brereton Inquiry, which found credible evidence that Australian special forces were involved in 39 unlawful killings of civilians and prisoners during operations in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016.

The inquiry led to the creation of the Office of the Special Investigator, tasked with examining potential criminal charges against current and former Australian Defence Force personnel.

Following his arrest, Roberts Smith was taken into custody and transferred to Silverwater Correctional Complex in Sydney.

Reports indicate he will remain in custody, with a court appearance scheduled in the coming weeks. If convicted, war crime murder offences under Australian law carry maximum penalties of life imprisonment.

The arrest represents one of the most significant developments in Australia's effort to investigate alleged misconduct during the Afghanistan conflict.

Officials have emphasised that the investigation targets individual conduct, and does not reflect the actions of the broader Australian Defence Force.

The case is expected to be lengthy and complex, with prosecutors relying heavily on witness testimony and historical operational records.

Further charges against other individuals remain possible as investigations continue.