An editorial in the Afghanistan Times newspaper welcomes China's condemnation of Afghan civilians' killings by Australian soldiers.

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General: Australian troops suspected of 39 unlawful killings in Afghanistan

China condemns Australian 'war crimes', calls for thorough investigation

"Condemning the crimes that inflicted casualties on innocent Afghans is not the only way to the justice and fairness, but indeed, it needs the true acts of prosecution of those committed such crimes for sake of justice," the editorial wrote.

The article comes as Australia demands an apology for a China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson's tweet that included an artist's computer-generated collage appearing to show a special forces soldier with a bloody knife at the throat of an Afghan child, whose head wrapped in an Australian flag and is cradling a lamb.

"Shocked by the murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, and call for holding them accountable," the spokesperson Zhao Lijian had tweeted.

Many Afghan residents have also expressed their gratitude to China and anger at Australia.

"It is a good thing that China is condemning this inhumane act. Every Afghan wants those Australian soldiers to be brought to court. They should be taken to court for the war crimes they committed in Afghanistan," said a Kabul resident.

"It is a good thing the Chinese government is condemning these acts. Other countries should also condemn the ugly deeds of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan," another resident echoed.

An official Australian inquiry found that 25 Australian special forces soldiers killed 39 Afghans, including civilians, between 2005 and 2016.