Alleged killing of Afghan boys by elite Australian soldiers under investigation

A secretive inquiry into the conduct of Australian special forces in Afghanistan is examining allegations that soldiers covered up the killing of an Afghan child.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has confirmed to the ABC it is also considering whether to launch a full investigation into at least one of the incidents, in which the shooting of a boy in Kandahar Province in 2012 was allegedly covered up by soldiers.

A source with knowledge of that incident told the ABC that Australian special forces soldiers were moving through the remote area during the early hours of the morning when they shot a boy dead, then left his body where it lay.

The ABC’s source alleges Khan Mohammed’s death was covered up by Australian soldiers.

It was later found by local villagers and retrieved by his family.

The source said there was no obvious insurgent activity in the area at the time, and the patrol had not been fired on prior to the boy’s death

Source: Alleged killing of Afghan boys by elite Australian soldiers under investigation – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)