Fatal Error

Australian Department of Defence

Night faults: "It was a chaotic environment. It was dark," says an ADF spokesman of the incident

Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan have a fearsome reputation for capturing and killing high-value Taliban targets in Oruzgan, a lawless province southwest of Kabul. The aggressive approach of the Special Air Service regiment and Army commandos complements the regular forces' efforts to win hearts and minds by providing security and building roads, bridges and hospitals.

At least, that is how things are supposed to work. But last month the twin strategies collided when one of President Hamid Karzai's allies, Rozi Khan, was killed in a firefight with Australian special forces about 35...

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