A defence inquiry into a joint Australian and Afghan operation has found soldiers acted within their rules of engagement when two Afghans were killed.
The Defence Department said this involved members of the Australian Special Operations Task Group and took place in Tarin Kowt in August 2012.
Few details of the mission were disclosed. The full inquiry report will not be released to protect the safety of Australian and coalition soldiers who are still in Afghanistan.
The inquiry officer found the operation was appropriately authorised and two Afghan nationals were engaged and killed within the rules of engagement.
"During the operation an insurgent leader known to have been involved in improvised explosive device attacks in Uruzgan province was detained," defence said.
He was one of 12 persons of interest detained during the operation. Eleven were later released after initial questioning indicated there was insufficient evidence for them to be detained further.
