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The same AK-47 was photographed on two dead Afghan civilians killed by Australian soldiers - ABC News

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The same AK-47 was photographed on two dead Afghan civilians killed by Australian soldiersShareAustralian special forces allegedly planted the same weapon on the bodies of two different Afghan civilians after a raid in which locals say unarmed civilians were executed, the ABC can reveal.An AK-47 assault rifle with teal-coloured tape wrapped around the stock was photographed next to two bodies in separate locations and logged in the special forces database after the raid at the village of Shina in May 2012.The operation by members of 3 Squadron SAS left three Afghans dead, with the special forces claiming they were all insurgents and legitimately killed.Australian sources have told the ABC that while one of the dead men was a Taliban fighter, the other two were civilians. This is backed by accounts from the families of two of the men.ABC Investigations has spoken to several members who served on that 2012 special forces rotation of Afghanistan who say that so-called "throwdowns", such as assault rifles and radios, were often used to cover up unlawful killings."Often people who had been killed had weapons placed on them and [they were] photographed with these weapons," said an SAS patrol member who served on that special forces rotation of Afghanistan."That happened on numerous occasions."ABC Investigations understands the killings at Shina and the alleged use of a planted assault rifle are being investigated by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF).For more than four years, the IGADF has been conducting an inquiry into allegations of war crimes committed by Australian special forces in Afghanistan.ABC Investigations commissioned an Afghan journalist to track down and interview relatives of the men from Shina, a remote district which is now back under Taliban control.Relatives of two of the men killed that day say both were civilians and were shot in cold blood by the Australians.Both were at the village when the SAS swept in.Abdul Wali said the Australians landed in one helicopter near his family home and in another near the village reservoir."They had gloves on and their faces were camouflaged with green and other colours. They were unidentifiable."Abdul Wali said his father Abdul Wahid, who was in his 80s, was ordered to approach the Australians."They called on my father and my father went towards them along with another elder, Mr Aminullah," said Abdul Wali. "They were together at the time when they went towards them … and they shot [my father]."He says his father was shot in the abdomen and in the neck.The two Afghans were not armed and did not present a threat to the soldiers, said Abdul Wali.Shina farmer Sakhi Daad said he was irrigating his wheat when the Black Hawk helicopters landed.He says the Australians detained the men of the village and put them in a compound."We were all handcuffed and they had guns. They told us not to look at each other," said Sakhi Daad."After a while shots were fired on the other side [of the compound]."He says after the Australians left the men freed themselves and searched the area, finding three bodies.One of them was his brother-in-law, Jan Mohammad."He was 20 years old, he was engaged, and he wasn't married yet. He wasn't able to work because his brain didn't work properly," said Sakhi Daad. "He was mentally ill."Sakhi Daad said when the Australian soldiers arrived, Jan Mohammad was grazing a cow."When the cow heard the helicopters, it ran and he ran after it," he said."Soldiers came his way … and saw him running. I don't know what they thought, that maybe he is a Talib and running away or a civilian that is running away. They shot him straight away in the head."ABC Investigations can confirm that the body of Jan Mohammad was one of two photographed with the same AK-47 with teal coloured tape on the stock.The third Afghan killed in the SAS raid was the imam of the local mosque, Muhibullah.Abdul Wali says the killing of his father was unforgivable."He was on his own land. He never stole or did anything bad to anyone. He was an elderly person. This is impossible to forgive and I won't forgive it," he said."I want [the Australians] to be tried," said Sakhi Daad. "If the government cares about us, if they care about our widows and orphans, then they must summon them and try them in the court."The Inspector-General is believed to be in the final stages of preparing its long-awaited report for the chief of defence.An Australian Defence Force spokesperson said: "It is not appropriate for Defence to comment on matters that may or may not be the subject of the Afghanistan Inquiry."14 Jul 202014 Jul 2020Tue 14 Jul 2020 at 7:04pm, 15 Jul 202015 Jul 2020Wed 15 Jul 2020 at 2:48amMore on:

The same AK-47 was photographed on two dead Afghan civilians killed by Australian soldiersShareAustralian special forces allegedly planted the same weapon on the bodies of two different Afghan civilians after a raid in which locals say unarmed civilians were executed, the ABC can reveal.An AK-47 assault rifle with teal-coloured tape wrapped around the stock was photographed next to two bodies in separate locations and logged in the special forces database after the raid at the village of Shina in May 2012.The operation by members of 3 Squadron SAS left three Afghans dead, with the special...

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The same AK-47 was photographed on two dead Afghan civilians killed by Australian soldiers - ABC News

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