Australia has had troops in Afghanistan since 2002 as part of the US led coalition fighting the Taliban militia in 2016.

Australia launched an inquiry into the conduct of its special forces in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016 amid allegations by local media focusing on its unlawful killings.

General Angus John Campbell revealed the findings of the long awaited inquiry from the inspector general.

The report notes that distorted culture was embraced and amplified by some experienced, charismatic and influential non commissioned officers and their proteges who sought to fuse military excellence with ego, elitism and entitlement.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier warned that the report would include difficult and hard news for Australians.

The report included allegations of a practice called blooding where junior soldiers were ordered by senior commanders to shoot a prisoner to achieve their first kill after those allegedly responsible would stage the scene with foreign weapons or equipment to make the person shot appear as an enemy killed in action.

None of the alleged unlawful killings were described as being in the heat of battle.

None were alleged to have occurred in circumstances in which the intent of the perpetrator was unclear, confused or mistaken, and every person spoken to by the inquiry thoroughly understood the law of armed conflict and the rules of engagement under which they operated.

Campbell apologized to Afghanistan and said those suspected of the killings will be referred to a soon to be appointed special investigator and that local prosecution would negate charges at the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

The Australian report recommended Canberra should compensate victims families even without a successful prosecution.