SBS presenter sacked over 'disrespectful' Anzac tweets

Gallipoli was the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during World War One

SBS sports presenter Scott McIntyre has been sacked for "disrespectful" tweets about Anzac Day, the Australian broadcaster says.

It says McIntyre's remarks breached the organisation's code of conduct.

Tweeting on the centenary of the Gallipoli landings in Turkey during World War One, McIntyre wrote that Australia's and New Zealand's soldiers had carried out "summary execution, widespread rape and theft".

Some reporters criticised SBS's move.

They suggested that firing McIntyre was against the principle of free speech.

'Despicable'

McIntyre, who was SBS's football reporter and TV presenter, put out a series of tweets on Saturday.

He wrote: "Remembering the summary execution, widespread rape and theft committed by these 'brave' Anzacs in Egypt, Palestine and Japan.

"The cultification of an imperialist invasion of a foreign nation that Australia had no quarrel with is against all ideals of modern society."

Australian Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the posts as "despicable".

"Difficult to think of more offensive or inappropriate comments," he wrote.

McIntyre has so far made no public comments on his sacking.

What was Gallipoli?

• After a failed naval attack, the Allies tried to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul) via the Gallipoli peninsula by land assault

• The amphibious assault started at dawn on 25 April, 1915

• British, French and their dominions' troops - including soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, India and Newfoundland - took part

• They faced months of shelling, sniper fire and sickness, before abandoning the campaign

• 45,000 Allied troops died for no material gain, although the Turkish Army was tied down for eight months

• 86,000 Turkish troops died. Commander Mustafa Kemal survived and went on to found modern Turkey

Why Gallipoli is still commemorated in Australia and New Zealand on Anzac Day

World War One's forgotten Anzacs: The Indigenous Army