The Australian Defence Force has accused Taliban forces in Afghanistan of adopting a new tactic of falsely accusing Coalition troops of mistreating detainees.

An inquiry has cleared Australian troops of any wrongdoing in a battle in Afghanistan last year, which resulted in the deaths of two Afghan women, a baby and Australian soldier Luke Worsley.

A separate investigation is continuing into claims Taliban detainees were mistreated after the death last month of Australian soldier Jason Marks.

The vice chief of the defence force, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, says he has noticed a trend emerging.

"The trend is also not necessarily to complain to the nation involved," he said.

"The trend would be rather to complain to the Dutch that Australians had mistreated detainees before they were handed over, or complain to the Australians that the Dutch had mistreated," he said.

"That happens throughout the country."

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