Twitter refuses to remove fake picture of Australian soldier posted by Chinese official

Twitter has refused to remove an image shared by Chinese official Zhao Lijian depicting an Australian soldier holding a knife against the throat of an Afghan child. According to CNA, Twitter said that it has marked the post as "sensitive" but added the picture cannot be removed because it is not in violation of the platform's rules. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had demanded the removal of the tweet, has called the image "repugnant". 

Read: China Accuses Australia Of Diverting Attentions From Soldiers' Killing Afghan People

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday posted a doctored image showing an Australian soldier holding a knife against the throat of an Afghan child, referring to the Brereton report that has uncovered cases of war crimes committed in Afghanistan by soldiers of Australian special forces. Lijian's tweet garnered criticism from Australia and its allies, who called out Beijing for sharing the fake image. 

Read: China Refuses To Apologise For Fake Image, Accuses Australia Of 'merciless Killing'

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that she has raised the case directly with the Chinese authorities and has asked them to look into it. French Foreign Affairs ministry said that they expected better from China, adding the post is insulting to all the nations whose armed forces are deployed in Afghanistan. 

Read: Report Of War Crimes In Afghanistan By Australia Special Forces Sparks Outrage

Brereton war crimes inquiry

The Brereton war crimes inquiry has revealed 39 cases of alleged murders of Afghans by Australian special forces, who were deployed as part of NATO in the war-torn country from 2005 to 2016. The inquiry revealed that some of the murders that took place were carried out at the behest of patrol commanders, who asked their subordinates to execute prisoners, including teenagers, in order to get their first kill, a practice known as 'blooding' among soldiers. The report sparked outrage, both in Australia and abroad prompting the Australian government to initiate criminal cases. 

Read: Australia Asks China To Apologise For 'repugnant' Fake Image, Urges Twitter To Remove Post