A court in Sydney is set to review a non-publication order in the case of former Australian SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, who is accused of war crime murder in Afghanistan.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions’ case page states the matter is listed today at the Downing Centre Local Court for the final hearing of an interim non-publication order application.
The order relates to how much information can be made public in the case, including details linked to witnesses and court material.
The same page states Roberts-Smith was arrested on 7 April by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator. It adds he has been charged with five offences of “war crime murder.”
Reuters reported that Australian police allege the victims were “unarmed, detained and under the control of Australian Defence Force members” when they were killed between 2009 and 2012.
Roberts-Smith has denied wrongdoing, and the charges have not been proven in court.
The case has drawn attention because Roberts-Smith is one of Australia’s most decorated former soldiers and a recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was previously widely presented as a military hero, making the allegations against him highly sensitive in Australia.
The case also follows years of scrutiny of Australian special forces’ conduct in Afghanistan. The Brereton inquiry, released in 2020, found credible information of alleged unlawful killings by Australian troops in Afghanistan.
Afghan authorities have not publicly commented on Monday’s non-publication hearing. However, in 2023, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told SBS News the group had “observed the case” but considered the Roberts-Smith judgment “symbolic”, saying the issue was bigger than “only one soldier”.
He said the Taliban could consider assisting investigators, adding, “If the Islamic Emirate believe that the investigating body is investigating the crimes with honesty, then they would consider assisting the investigation. But we don’t have the trust yet.”
In Kabul, resident Sadiqullah Rohani told AnewZ the case should focus on Afghan victims and their families.
“This case should not only be about Australian soldiers, medals or reputation,” Rohani said. “It should be about Afghan civilians and the families of those who were allegedly killed or harmed. They have waited a long time for justice, and their suffering should not be forgotten.”
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Delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first formal talks in nine months. They did so with no agreement on what a ceasefire would be tied to or who gets to keep the land currently under Russian control.
At least 17 people have been reported killed in an explosion at a steel plant in western Türkiye, after a crane collapsed during maintenance work. The disaster has prompted a criminal investigation into what went wrong at the industrial facility.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said Washington believes the Russian President is prepared to reach a peace agreement under the right conditions, as U.S., Russian and Ukrainian delegations began trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 10 November.
Armenia could lose its voting rights within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on 11 November after failing to pay membership fees for more than two years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Pakistan is pushing for urgent global action and greater climate funding as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attends COP31 in Türkiye, warning that melting glaciers, devastating floods and extreme heat are putting millions of lives and livelihoods at risk.
Armenia has lost its voting rights and the ability to nominate officials for certain posts within the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The decision was taken at a summit in Moscow on 11 November, amid years of strained relations between Yerevan and the alliance.
Heavy rain and strong winds have flooded around 70,000 tents across Gaza, leaving displaced Palestinian families exposed to cold, hunger and worsening living conditions as winter approaches, according to local authorities.
Trade along the Middle Corridor is accelerating, opening new opportunities for Central Asia and the South Caucasus as countries strengthen transport links between China and Europe. Cargo volumes reached around 4.7 million tonnes in 2025, up from less than one million tonnes in 2021.
Kazakhstan says the North Aral Sea’s water volume has risen by 24 per cent since 2022, reaching 23.4 billion cubic metres. The figures were unveiled at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, as the country outlined ambitious plans to accelerate restoration.
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