Terrible day for Australia: Gillard, ADF

30 Aug 2012, 7:18 pm   -   Source: AAP
Share This
0 
+ Comment
9

Five Australian troops have been killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan in what Prime Minister Julia Gillard described as the nation's deadliest day in combat since the Vietnam War.

RELATED

Five soldiers have died in the worst 24-hour period of Australia's decade-long involvement in Afghanistan, denting the morale of the defence force and prompting comparisons with the Vietnam war.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard cut short her trip to the Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands to rush home to a shocked nation as tributes flowed for the dead diggers and their families.

"I believe this is the most losses in combat since the days of the Vietnam war and the battle of Long Tan," Ms Gillard told reporters in Rarotonga on Thursday.

"This is news so truly shocking that it's going to feel for many Australians like a physical blow."

But Ms Gillard stressed that Australia's commitment to the allied mission remained firm, as Australian and Afghan troops began hunting down those responsible for killing three of the dead.

"This is a war with a purpose and a war with an end," she said.

The vice-chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Mark Binskin, said he could not begin to describe the overwhelming grief the families were experiencing.

"It is a terrible day for all of us and our thoughts and prayers are for all those who are touched by these incidents," Air Marshal Binskin told reporters in Canberra.

In the first incident, a man in Afghan National Army (ANA) uniform shot dead three soldiers and wounded another two from the Australian Mentoring Task Force Five at a patrol base in the Baluchi Valley, north of the main base at Tarin Kowt.

In the second, two special forces soldiers died when a US helicopter rolled over as it landed during an operation in Helmand province.

No names have been released. The three dead were based at the Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane.

The toll of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan has risen to 38 since 2002. Seven have died in "green on blue" attacks by rogue Afghan soldiers.

Ms Gillard said such attacks were corrosive of trust but would not divert Australia from the strategy of transitioning control to Afghan security forces and withdrawing most forces in the next 12 to 18 months.

"In my view that wouldn't be appropriately honouring the men we have lost. In my view it would be letting our nation down," she said.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it was a terrible day for Australia and a black day for the defence force.

Air Marshal Binskin said the 3RAR Task Group soldiers were relaxing at the end of the day when the man opened fire with an automatic weapon at close range, killing three and wounding two.

Soldiers returned fire but the man escaped over the base fence.

"Morale at the moment has taken a hit over this, understandably. But I don't think it has taken the will for us to fight and work with the Afghan forces," he said.

The reason for the attack is not known but an investigation is under way.

It's also not yet clear whether the man was an ANA soldier or an insurgent infiltrator wearing a readily available ANA uniform.

Air Marshal Binskin said security precautions to guard against "insider threats" already exceeded current International Security Assistance Force requirements.

"However, as a result of this incident, all Australian personnel in cooperation with Afghan commanders have adopted enhanced force protection," he said.

Air Marshal Binskin said Afghanistan remained a difficult and dangerous place.

"An element of risk will always exist with our forces," he said.

Australia lost 18 soldiers at the battle of Long Tan in August 1966. There were a number of subsequent incidents involving multiple casualties before Australian forces withdrew from Vietnam.

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube

Your Comments

Who is left after 2014

phw - from Canberra, 9 months ago

"Stay the cause..";"don't cut and run..","finish the mission...": Lies from the same text book as WMDs. Each of these motherhood statements is paid for in Australian lifes; unfortunately not those of who make them. Every Afghan soldier knows: When ISAF is gone not the current puppet regime will be there, but the Taliban! Better to get some brownie points with them. Watch out, diggers!

Mr

Barbs - from Gladstone, 9 months ago

I have served in Afghanistan and I would like to say that the vast majority of the Australian public does not have the slightest clue. Our soldiers do an exceptional job over there. The improvements that have been made their would not have been possible without our brave diggers. Do not judge what you do not know about. Lest we forget.

An undecided mind

Yousif - from Sydney, 9 months ago

All logical reasoning points that the base of the so called Green on Blue attacks is an undecided Afghani mind. The attackers cannot be squarely put under a Taliban umberalla as they would have simply collectively came out of their "sleeping" state at great events or they would collectively sleep it till complete NATO withdrawl. The Afghani forces want to believe in the NATO promises & simply snap of when evidence shows otherwise. Promises of prosperity & respect need to be withheld.

RIP

Jamie - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

All I can say is RIP, my condolences to the families and friends of those who have fallen.

Greed is good

Doody - from Epping, 9 months ago

Will the profit mongering corporations that these men die for compensate their familes ??? Didnt think so ! ''Shouldnt be there '' 3 words of wisdom that will never be adhered to ,how many Taliban insurgents are there running around on the loose in Australia to make this war necessary ???

5 vs 150

your conscience - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

Meanwhile, an ENTIRE boatload of poor human beings- fleeing from wars instigated and perpetuated by these soldiers, on flimsy pretexts of "freedom and "liberation" and "WMD's"- has sunk whilst seeking refuge from the attrocities committed against them in their homeland. 150 people drowned!!!!! ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PEOPLE! civilians! not soldiers! Innocent men women and children caught up in our war for oil. We are responsible for this mess, we need to be responsible for fixing it up.

Greens politics

Andrew - from Canberra, 9 months ago

Perhaps not the best thing for a politician to say, on the day Australia lost 5 soldiers dedicated to a cause, that we shouldn't be committed to that cause or are wasting our time

is been too long,

zac - from nerang 4211 qld, 9 months ago

is been too long and too many australian deaths,already! Everytime i see on the news that an aussie had been killed i feel bad and my condolences to family,but is not their fault,they just do what they been told to do,australia should withdraw all trops,as is nothing over there,i was thinking before it was for petrol or some kind of mines over there,but really is not much,only opium and marijuana to develop drugs in afghanistan, and 80% of the country is dry semi desert that nothing to grow

Friend or Foe Killers the Scourge of Afghanistan Killing Sands

FranklySpeaking - from Rowville Needs Railway, 9 months ago

The PM needs to review this situation very seriously and immediately. Perhaps the Opposition can help her make a decision. Helping other countries is commendable but not at the expense of our citizens who are attacked from within. The Afghan Govt needs to make a stand on this issue now or all the Aliies may withdraw from the killing sands of Afghanistan. Our troops and their families are making big sacrifices and the soldiers are at risk even within safe compounds.

Join the Discussion

Name
City / Suburb E.g. Artarmon, Sydney
Title
Comment
You have characters remaining.
Validation
What's this?
This is a captcha-picture. It is used to prevent mass-access by robots.
All submitted comments become the property of SBS. They are moderated, so we reserve the right to edit comments and remove HTML tags. Not all submitted comments will be published. Publication does not mean we endorse the opinions expressed. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.