Afghanistan, April 17 -- An Australian court has granted bail to former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, who faces multiple murder charges linked to alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The 46-year-old, one of Australia's most decorated veterans, is accused of involvement in the killing of unarmed detainees during deployments between 2009 and 2012.
A judge in Sydney ruled he could be released after 10 days in custody, noting that the complex case could take years to resolve. The hearing was held via video link from prison.
Prosecutors allege Roberts-Smith either directly carried out the killings or ordered subordinates to do so, arguing the seriousness of the charges warranted strict bail conditions.
His defense lawyers countered that prolonged...