Australia to send additional 300 troops to Iraq

Australia will send an additional 300 troops to Iraq to train specialist Iraqi soldiers in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced on Tuesday.

As part of a joint training mission with New Zealand, who revealed their intentions to send 143 soldiers overseas last week, the 300 new arrivals will join 200 Australian counterparts already in Iraq.

Speaking to reporters in Canberra on Tuesday, Abbott said Australian forces had already enjoyed success in their fight against IS militants, but that more aid was needed to continue training Iraqi troops.

"We have slowed (IS group) Daesh's advance, but Iraq's regular forces now require support to build their capacity to reclaim and to hold territory," he said.

The troops, who will be based in northern Baghdad, are expected to be overseas for two years as per the government's timeline of their involvement in Iraq.

"We expect this training mission to be fully operational, should we make the final decision to commit in June," Abbott said.

"After 12 months, we'd reviewed it, we'd review it again every 12 months and like our New Zealand partners, we at this stage are saying it's a two-year mission with that 12-month review."

Abbott also revealed that the decision to send more troops abroad had come with the support of Iraq Prime Minister Haider Al- Abadi, but that Iraq "do not want foreign combat troops on the ground and obviously working with the Iraqis."

Therefore, just like the 200 Australians already in Iraq, the new group will occupy strictly advisory roles.

The Prime Minister also suggested that national security can only be guaranteed domestically by providing international support.

"What the Australian people want is security at home, but you can't have that security at home without doing your bit for security abroad," he said. Endi