Family members of Afghans killed by foreign military forces during the Afghanistan war continue to wait for justice. Recent developments have shown contrasting approaches by Australia and the United Kingdom.
Australia has made strides in investigating alleged war crimes by its forces. The Australian Defense Ministry has launched a website where family members can file complaints, offering forms in Dari and Pashto for compensation requests. This initiative follows a governmental inquiry five years ago that revealed probable crimes, including summary executions. Despite this progress, only one soldier has been charged so far.
In August 2024, United Nations special mandate holders expressed concerns about Australia’s approach to compensation, describing it as “a form of charity at the discretion of its military, not as a legal right of victims under international law.” Afghan human rights activists are working to raise awareness about the complaint process.
In contrast, the United Kingdom’s progress has been slower. BBC Panorama recently aired new evidence of war crimes by British special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. A former soldier recounted an incident involving the execution of a young boy who was clearly not of fighting age.
The UK government has faced allegations of covering up such crimes and shutting down inquiries. An independent inquiry into Afghanistan allegations was established in December 2022 but is limited to events from 2010-2013.
Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, emphasized “the need for comprehensive accountability” to achieve justice for victims and their families.
