Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led commemorations marking 25 years since Australia first joined the war in Afghanistan. About 600 veterans attended, Ben Roberts-Smith among them, a figure who remains the country's most decorated living soldier. His presence drew particular attention because of the 2023 civil court findings that he was complicit in unlawful killings, claims he continues to deny. In remarks at the event, Albanese honoured everyone who served across the long deployment and the families who still live with the loss. He paid tribute to the 47 Australian personnel who died as a result of their service. Australian forces were part of the coalition that entered Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks and completed its withdrawal in 2021. Veterans' organisations have used past anniversaries to press for better mental health support and fairer compensation. The gathering offered remembrance, but it also reopened debates that the veterans' community has never fully settled.