SYDNEY, Australia — Australia will strip military awards from a group of war veterans over allegations that those under their command committed war crimes in Afghanistan, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday. As part of delivering the final recommendations of the inquiry, known as the Brereton Report, Marles had written to several officers who served in Afghanistan, to inform them that medals awarded for service would be withdrawn, the defense minister said. “The allegations which are the subject of the Brereton Report are arguably the most serious allegations of Australian war crimes in our history,” Marles told Parliament on Thursday. A former soldier was charged with war crimes last year. More than 39,000 Australian troops served in Afghanistan and 41 were killed.

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Persons: Richard Marles, Paul Brereton, Brereton, Marles, ” Marles Organizations: Australia —, Defense, Australian Defence Force, Australia, NATO Locations: SYDNEY, Australia, Australia — Australia, Afghanistan