Arabic version: تكريم قدامى المحاربين في أفغانستان في مراسم ذكرى سنوية في كانبيرا

According to ABC News, thousands of Australians who served in Afghanistan were commemorated at a 25th anniversary service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Governor-General Sam Mostyn and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor attended, along with former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison.

Australian forces were deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 under Operation Slipper, joining a multinational mission to combat terrorism after the September 11 attacks in the United States. Over the following two decades, more than 35,000 Australians served in Afghanistan or in support roles in the Middle East. Forty-seven Australian Defence Force personnel died and 263 were wounded as a result of their service.

Janny Poate, whose son Private Robert Poate was killed by a rogue Afghan army officer in 2012, spoke of the losses borne by families. She said families hoped each day that their partner, parent, child or sibling would return safely, and remembered those whose loved ones never came home as well as those who had suffered loss since.

Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson said every person who served experienced “a different Afghanistan”, with some witnessing the worst of war and others friendship, humanity, humour, courage and kindness. Governor-General Mostyn also offered condolences to the family of Corporal Brendan Hannam, who was killed during a training exercise in the Northern Territory the previous week and had served in Afghanistan.

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith attended after receiving a variation to his bail conditions from the New South Wales Local Court. He is facing five counts of war crime murder relating to deployments in Afghanistan, allegations he has categorically rejected. The service included wreath-laying, the Ode of Remembrance, the Last Post, a minute’s silence and a Chinook helicopter flyover.