Latest wave of Australian troops begin mission in Iraq

SYDNEY: Australia’s latest deployment of 450 troops to protect Japanese military engineers in southern Iraq began their 12-month mission on Sunday, the defence minister said in a statement. Defence Minister Robert Hill traveled to Iraq this week, where he visited with troops and met with the governor of Iraq’s southern al-Muthanna province, Mohammed al-Hassani. “I wanted to reinforce the fact that Australian forces are here to assist the people of Iraq,” Hill said in a statement. Including the most recent deployment, Australia has 1,370 soldiers in the Middle East, including around 750 in Iraq. The additional troops will help train the al-Muthanna provincial security force and provide security for a Japanese reconstruction effort, the statement said. Hill said Australia was committed to building security in Iraq and would stay “until the job is done. However, the government will continually review the situation to ensure our contribution is in line with the needs of the Iraqi people,” Hill said. ap

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