Diggers cleared over Afghanistan deaths

Two internal defence inquiries have cleared diggers of illegally killing seven local men in Afghanistan in April.

In separate statements issued on Friday, the Department of Defence said its soldiers had acted appropriately.

Both incidents occurred in Oruzgan province where Australian troops are working with their Dutch colleagues to rid the region of the Taliban, remnants of al-Qaeda and other criminal forces.

In the first incident on April 2, three Afghan men were killed while soldiers were clearing a house and surrounding buildings.

"The inquiry officer determined that the Australian soldiers acted lawfully, in self-defence, when the three men were killed," a defence statement said.

Intelligence had led the Afghan-Australian combined force to believe high-ranking members from the enemy were hiding out in the buildings, defence said.

Eight other Afghans were initially detained but later released.

An unnamed inquiry officer found there were no mistakes in the planning and execution of the mission.

"The inquiry officer recommended that no conduct warranted further investigation," the defence statement said.

In the second incident, four people were killed and two wounded on April 27 and 28.

Defence found the diggers were justified in opening fire on the group.

Again, an unnamed inquiry officer found in the soldiers favour on "the balance of probabilities".

The diggers called in an airstrike against the Afghans after they were seen digging roadside holes.

"It was believed that the Afghans were laying improvised explosive devices," defence said.

There were claims those killed were actually farmers doing night-time irrigation work.

Defence found it was very likely that the people engaged were laying roadside bombs, which are the chief weapon used against US and NATO forces in the war-torn country.

"The group was observed for over three hours. The targets were then engaged using close air support."

The commanding officer got positive identification of the Afghans three times before saying yes to the engagement.

"The inquiry officer concluded that ADF personnel that night complied with the rules of engagement governing immediate targeting," defence said.

Lieutenant General Mark Evans, the chief of joint operations, has now closed both inquiries.

Source:news.smh.com.au/