Australian troops kept Afghan prisoners in dog pens

Australian special forces troops in Afghanistan used dog pens to detain suspected Taliban militants in an operation after the death of SAS Corporal Jason Marks four months ago. This revelation follows complaints by an Afghan soldier about mistreatment of the detainees, who were held in southern Uruzgan province after a battle with Taliban fighters.

An Australian Defence Force inquiry last week found that medical evidence and witness statements did not support allegations of abuse.
The report, released on August 29, declared that there was no evidence four Taliban suspects detained by Australian troops in April had been assaulted.
However, the Australian military's report on this inquiry into itself acknowledged that complaints about their treatment, including being locked up in dog pens, "may have stemmed from cultural differences".
“We are at war in Afghanistan with people who will employ any tactic including the use of children as shields and as a means of propaganda and it is a tough battle,” Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.

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“But we always endeavour to comply on all occasions with international law and I am confident that our people have done so.
“Australian soldiers are well known as the best fighters in the world and the fairest fighters in the world, always complying with their rules of engagement and always consistent with international law.”
Fitzgibbon defended the soldiers' actions, saying the detainees were held in the most secure area available before they were transported to a detention facility in the town of Tarin Kowt.
"Our people were patrolling far away from our main base in Tarin Kowt near one of our forward operating bases. They did detain people suspected of the worst and most atrocious acts. And they detained them in the most practical way available to them at the time," he told ABC.
Fitzgibbon argued that it was misleading to characterise the holding facility as a dog pen.
"They were in a compound I've had described to me as a walled compound which I'm sure is used for a variety of purposes," he told ABC. "I'm advised that the compound is from time to time used to hold dogs, yes. Dogs are a very important part of our operations there."
Associated Press reported that Afghanistan's Ambassador to Australia, Amanullah Jayhoon, stopped short of criticizing the actions of the Australian soldiers, but said the reports were troubling.
The incident and Mr Fitzgibbon's defence of Australian troops has angered the Muslim community.
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Iqbal Patel explained to ABC Radio that Muslims regard dogs as unclean.
"Dogs are, in Islam, taken that they are animals of prey, they are used for hunting, they are used for food gathering in some places, and therefore they are great friends and great company to have, at the same time dogs are also considered actually not clean," he said.
“I am appalled that Australian soldiers have been implicated with such disgusting treatment of human beings,” he said.
"I mean we've heard about the Americans doing similar things of late in Iraq and one never expected that a great country such as Australia would go to such levels."
Patel says he expected more from PM Kevin Rudd's new Labor government.
"[For] the Defence Minister in the new Government to have said something like that it actually quite appalls me to say the least," he said.
"No human being should be in any way placed in a dog pen, full-stop, period."
Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said:
"The keeping of four Taliban prisoners, one aged 70, in dog cages overnight, in apparent breach of the Geneva conventions, points to a failure by the government to provide back-up to ensure adequate transfer and detention facilities."
Source: ABC Online, Green media release, Associated Press