Canberra, Dec 2: Australian soldiers taking part in coalition operations against Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East have been given a ‘license to kill’, after the government passed last-minute legislation. The Crimil Code Amendment (War Crimes) Bill 2016, which gives Australian Defence Force personnel power to use lethal force against terrorists outside of direct combat, breezed through the Sete with bipartisan support on Thursday evening. In a joint statement, Australia’s Prime Minister and Defence Minister said the laws would mean Australia’s Defence Force personnel would be protected from crimil charges if they engage terrorists outside of “direct hostilities”, Xinhua news agency reported. “The (legislation) aligns Australia’s domestic law with intertiol humanitarian law and provides legal certainty for Defence personnel fighting terrorist groups in combat zones,” the statement said.(IANS)
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