Australian special forces were responsible for torturing and killing 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners from 2007 to 2013, in many cases carrying out the killings for sport, according to a long-awaited report released by the Australian Defense Force. A four-year investigation into allegations of war crimes found “credible evidence” that dozens of murders were either carried out by elite special force members or ordered by them. In some cases, the special forces members reportedly slit civilians’ throats, kept count of their murders, bragged about their actions, and planted weapons and equipment on the dead bodies as a means to cover up the nature of the killings. None of the murders were committed during battle, and the victims were non-combatants. In some cases, junior soldiers were reportedly ordered to execute prisoners as a “blooding” method by their superiors that sought to give them their first kill. Maj. Gen Justice Paul Brereton, who authored the report, called the findings “disgraceful and a profound betrayal” of the Australian defense force.