Australia marks 25th anniversary of Afghanistan war with solemn Canberra service

Consensus Summary

On October 11, 2026, Australia marked the 25th anniversary of its involvement in the Afghanistan war with a solemn commemoration at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The event honored the more than 35,000 personnel who served under Operation Slipper, launched in 2001 following the September 11 attacks. Among the attendees were Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, former Prime Ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott, and Scott Morrison, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn. The service included traditional remembrance rituals such as the Ode of Remembrance, Last Post, a minute’s silence, and a wreath-laying ceremony, culminating in a Chinook helicopter flyover—a symbol of the war’s enduring legacy.

Australia’s deployment to Afghanistan began in October 2001 as part of a multinational response to the 9/11 attacks, with troops serving until 2021. The conflict, Australia’s longest war, resulted in 47 deaths and 263 wounded among Australian forces. The commemoration reflected on the war’s complex legacy, including the fall of Kabul in 2021 and the Taliban’s subsequent return to power, which reversed progress in women’s rights and democratic governance. Despite these outcomes, veterans and families emphasized the honor of their service and the sacrifices made, including the ongoing grief of those who lost loved ones, such as Janny Poate, whose son Private Robert Poate was killed in 2012.

Central to the event was the presence of Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated soldier and a Victoria Cross recipient, who faces five counts of war crime murder related to his actions in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Roberts-Smith attended after receiving a bail variation, drawing attention to the tension between his military accolades and the legal allegations against him. He was seen interacting warmly with veterans, including sharing hugs and photographs, while former SAS veteran Andrew Hastie—who testified against him in a defamation trial—also laid a wreath. Prime Minister Albanese and former Prime Minister John Howard both addressed the crowd, framing Australia’s involvement as a defense of freedom and alliance with the U.S., though the Guardian noted that veterans like Mathew Bell described more nuanced achievements, such as enabling girls to attend school and improving local medical services during their deployments.

While all three outlets agreed on the core details of the event, they differed in emphasis. THEWEST provided vivid accounts of individual veterans, such as Matthew Clarke’s survival of an IED attack in 2012 and Kahlil Fegan’s reflections on the psychological toll of the war. The ABC highlighted the broader context, including the recent death of Corporal Brendan Hannam in a training exercise and the NATO Military Committee’s condolences. The Guardian focused on the personal stories of soldiers like Mathew Bell, who described the tangible positive impacts of their service, as well as the broader political and humanitarian consequences of the war’s outcome. Each outlet also noted the presence of the Afghanistan conflict gallery at the War Memorial, though THEWEST included more specific details about its exhibits, such as the wreckage of a Bushmaster vehicle destroyed by an IED.

The event underscored the unresolved questions surrounding Australia’s role in Afghanistan, particularly the moral and political debates over the war’s purpose and legacy. Veterans like Kahlil Fegan and Matt Anderson acknowledged the complexity of these questions, insisting that the worth of their service should not be measured solely by political outcomes. Meanwhile, Roberts-Smith’s attendance and the legal proceedings against him added a layer of controversy, with THEWEST and ABC both noting his defiant stance in rejecting the war crime allegations. Looking ahead, the Returned Services League’s upcoming address at the National Press Club, as mentioned by THEWEST, signals ongoing discussions about Australia’s preparedness and the support for veterans, though no specific policy changes were announced during the commemoration.