An Australian soldier has been reportedly killed overseas while fighting for Syrian rebels.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The infantry soldier died two months ago after taking leave from the Australian Defence Force, ABC TV reports.
It is not known how long the man had been apparently fighting in Syria's civil war before his death, or what role he held in the military.
The Australian Defence Force directed questions about the report to the Attorney-General's office and the federal police, who both could not immediately confirm or deny what happened.
''The AFP does not have a mandate to monitor people's travel to Syria, therefore it is difficult to say how many Australians may be present in Syria, or what they are doing,'' an AFP spokesman said.
If the man's death is verified, the soldier would become the ninth Australian to have died in the Syrian conflict.
Most Australians who have travelled to Syria do not have combat training. Many have insisted they are involved in humanitarian aid, not to help rebel fighters.
Those found to have left Australia to fight in Syria risk being charged with terrorism-related offences.