Service to mark 25 years since start of Afghanistan campaign

A national commemoration service will be held in Canberra on Sunday, 11 October 2026 to honour the service and sacrifice of those who served in Afghanistan, 25 years to the day after the first Australian boots landed on Afghan soil.

FILE PHOTO: ‘T-wall’ art in Tarin Kot, Afghanistan. Photo by Brian Hartigan

The national service will be held at the Australian War Memorial and will be open to Australian Defence Force personnel, veterans, families and members of the public who wish to pay their respects to those who served in Australia’s longest-running conflict – a war with no official name.

On 11 October 2001, Australian forces were deployed to Afghanistan under Operation Slipper, contributing to the International Security Assistance Force, a multinational mission to combat terrorism, to stabilise and reconstruct the country.

Over the next two decades, more than 35,000 Australians served in Afghanistan or in support in the Middle East Area of Operations.

The Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial records the names of 47 Australian Defence Force personnel who died as a result of their service in Afghanistan – while defence.gov.au/vale only records 41.

Some 263 Australians were also wounded.

The 25th anniversary commemoration will be an opportunity for all Australians to express their respect and gratitude to those personnel who put themselves in harm’s way.

Registration for the national commemorative service is free. For more information, including how to register, as well as accessibility and transport options please visit the DVA 25th anniversary page here.

The service will also be broadcast live on ABC iview.

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