Three former Australian commandos will be charged with manslaughter in relation to a late-night raid on a compound in Afghanistan that killed five children, Australia's top military prosecutor said Monday.

The special forces soldiers, who were not identified, face multiple charges including manslaughter, dangerous conduct, failing to comply with a lawful general order and prejudicial conduct, Brigadier Lyn McDade, the director of military prosecutions, said in a statement.

The charges relate to a February 2009 raid on a compound in southern Uruzgan province that was believed to harbor Taliban insurgents. Six Afghans, including five children, were killed, and another two children and two adults were wounded.

The civilians died after the Special Operations Task Group soldiers used gunfire and hand grenades during the operation, the defense department said at the time.

"During the conduct of this operation, the soldiers were fired upon by Taliban insurgents," the defense department said in a statement the day after the attack. "The (soldiers) engaged the insurgents, returning fire in accordance with their rules of engagement."

The defense department has refused to comment on the attack since then. It initially conducted its own investigation, before referring the matter to the military prosecutor, which operates independently of the department.

In her statement, McDade said her investigations had been completed only recently after "careful, deliberate and informed consideration." She declined to comment further.

The prosecutor described the men as "former" soldiers, but did not clarify when or why they left the military. A call to the defense department for comment Monday was not immediately returned.

Australia has 1,550 troops in Afghanistan.