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Aussie PM urged to consider bombing Syrian IS strongholds

Xinhua, August 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

One of Australian top security officials on Thursday urged Prime Minister Tony Abbott to consider joining the United States in bombing Islamic State (IS) strongholds in Syria.

Liberal MP Dan Tehan, chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, has said the world was " ignoring the suffering of innocent Syrians," calling for the government to take action.

"The time has come for Australia to join the military coalition seeking to destroy Daesh (IS) in Syria," Tehan wrote in an article in News Corp outlets on Thursday.

"We are acting in Iraq against Daesh, with our (F/A 18) Hornets launching air strikes on a regular basis. We should be doing the same in Syria."

Currently, Australia's air force is active in Iraq fighting IS, but Tehan has said that due to the "humanitarian disaster" occurring in Syria, Australia should be bombing terrorist strongholds there as well.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has reportedly "privately indicated" that he was open to the idea of expanding Australian F/A 18 Hornet operations into war-torn Syria, while Michael Keenan, the minister in charge of terrorism-related issues has said Australia is " constantly" in contact with its allies. Endi