Three Australian diggers killed by a rogue Afghan soldier last year did not receive adequate protection, according to an internal Defence report.
Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, 40, Private Robert Poate, 23, and Sapper James Thomas Martin, 21, were murdered at Patrol Base Wahab in August 2012 when Taliban operative Hek Matullah sprayed them with bullets while they played cards.
An Army Colonel’s report, due to be released on Thursday, provides details of the attack
and the inability of the platoon to respond quickly, News Corp reported.
The report says the men’s commanders knew of increased insider attacks by Taliban operatives against coalition forces, but the warnings were never passed on to the platoon.
“I find that Soldier 3′s (a Lieutenant’s) decisions and actions in maintaining the force protection arrangements … inadequately addressed the force protection needs for Team … and potentially placed them at significant risk …” the censored report read.
“Their state of readiness and therefore their ability to respond to fire or … enemy action or insider attack was less than what would be expected.”
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