Full Breakdown
National Service Marks 25 Years of Australia’s Afghanistan Campaign
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
On October 11, 2026, about 600 veterans gathered at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for a National Commemorative Service. The ceremony marked a quarter-century since Australian forces first deployed to Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The conflict, spanning Operations Slipper and Highroad, became Australia’s longest war, involving roughly 26,000-30,000 personnel, 47 of whom died and 263 were wounded. The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, following the international withdrawal, has left many veterans questioning the campaign’s outcomes.
Key Figures & Groups
- Anthony Albanese – Prime Minister, delivered the opening tribute.
- Ben Roberts-Smith – Victoria Cross recipient and former SAS corporal; attended under strict bail conditions while facing five war-crime murder charges, which he denies.
- Dan Keighran – Fellow Victoria Cross recipient, present at the service.
- John Howard, Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison – Former prime ministers who attended.
- Andrew Hastie – Liberal MP, former SAS captain who gave evidence in Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial.
- Janny Poate – Mother of a soldier killed in a “green-on-blue” attack, read a tribute.
Official Statements & Responses
Albanese also warned that the Taliban’s return has erased many gains for women’s rights, underscoring Australia’s commitment to gender equality. Former Prime Minister John Howard, speaking after the service, said defending freedom and democratic opportunities remains worthwhile despite the Taliban’s resurgence.
Verbatim Quotes
- “One of the things we did for a long time, unfortunately, been taken away by the Taliban was equality for women. One of the things that makes us different is its simple commitment to the equality of men and women. Now, a lot of countries don’t believe in that, and certainly in Afghanistan, the Taliban.” — Anthony Albanese, prime minister
- “Most of all, we remember this: their strength and resilience.” — Howards