CANBERRA: Australia says a former Afghan soldier accused of killing three Australian comrades on a patrol base last year has been captured in Pakistan.

Defence Force Chief Lt Gen David Hurley said Wednesday former Afghan National Army sergeant Hekmatullah was captured by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in February and was recently deported to Afghanistan.

Hurley expects he will be tried on three counts of murder.

Hekmatullah allegedly opened fire at the base north of the Australian military headquarters at Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province on Aug 29, killing three Australian soldiers and wounding another two.