THREE AUSTRALIAN FORMER COMMANDOS are facing manslaughter charges relating to a night raid they undertook in February 2009.

Six civilians were killed in the attack, including children.

The BBC reports that the trio are also charged with failing to comply with a lawful general order. Prosecutors allege that the soldiers entered the wrong house and failed to identify their targets before opening fire with machine guns and grenades.

Australia’s department of defence had issued a statement the day after the raid, saying that soldiers had conducted a clearance operation, but were fired upon by Taliban insurgents and returned fire according to the rules of engagement.

Two of the soldiers said they were “deeply disappointed” to learn of the Director of Military Prosecutions’ decision to prosecute, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

They expressed their regret over the incident, saying:

Words will never adequately express our regret that women and children were killed and injured during the incident on 12 February, 2009. These were people we were risking our lives to protect.

The men claim they were attacked by an insurgent, causing them to open fire:

However, it should not be forgotten that the casualties were ultimately caused by the callous and reckless act of an insurgent who chose to repeatedly fire upon us at extreme close range from within a room he knew contained women and children.