Former Australian special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith was granted bail after spending 10 days in prison over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

The decorated veteran, who received the Victoria Cross, is accused of murdering five people between 2009 and 2012 but denies all charges.

Prosecutors allege the victims were unarmed and that some killings were carried out by subordinates under his orders.

His lawyer argued against prolonged detention, while the prosecution cited the seriousness of the allegations in pushing for strict bail conditions, Al-Jazeera has reported.

If convicted, Roberts-Smith faces life imprisonment, marking a dramatic fall from his status as a celebrated war hero.