Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:27:02 +0000
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by Elena Vance -

Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts‑Smith arrested, expected to face five war‑crime murder charges over Afghanistan deployments

Melbourne, Australia — A 47‑year‑old former Australian soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport on April 7, 2026 and is expected to be charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. On April 7, 2026, Australian Federal Police arrested former Special Air Service (SAS) soldier Ben Roberts‑Smith at Sydney Airport and he is expected to be charged with five counts of the war crime of murder for alleged killings of Afghan nationals between 2009 and 2012.

The detained individual has been widely identified in media as Ben Roberts‑Smith, Australia’s most decorated living Afghanistan veteran.

The alleged crimes occurred during deployments in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012 and were investigated jointly by the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The offence category reported is 'war crime — murder', which under the Commonwealth Criminal Code can carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.