Anthony Albanese Leads 25th Anniversary Afghanistan Deployment Services

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led national commemorations on Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of Australia's deployment to Afghanistan. At the primary service held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Albanese expressed gratitude to the more than 35,000 servicemen and women deployed between 2001 and 2021. He honored the 47 personnel who died and 263 who were wounded, while also paying tribute to the Afghan soldiers and interpreters who assisted Australian forces.

The event was attended by approximately 1,400 people, including 800 veterans and former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott, and Scott Morrison. Former Prime Minister John Howard, who originally entered Australia into the conflict via Operation Slipper following the September 11 attacks, defended the intervention as a necessary effort to defend freedom and women's equality. Additional services were held at the Anzac Memorial in Sydney and the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

The commemorations occurred amid ongoing debate regarding the conflict's outcome following the 2021 withdrawal and the subsequent return of the Taliban to power. Despite this, veterans highlighted their contributions to humanitarian aid and reconstruction, asserting that their service provided essential medical care and freedom to local populations.