An Australian soldier is vehemently denying allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan as they await the results of an inquiry.

Retired Special Forces Commander Heston Russell served as a platoon commander of an Australian special forces unit accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.

The ABC interviewed an unidentified US Marine who claimed he witnessed the murder of an unarmed Afghan prisoner in 2012 because there weren’t enough seats on an extraction helicopter.

Mr Russell told Ben Fordham he denies the allegations.

“It was really disgusting and disappointing.

“It was so disappointing for the Australian broadcaster to actually put those claims out without interviewing any of us and doing so on the … anniversary of the death of one of my soldiers in 2012.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview