Defence Minister ensures safety of Australian troops in Iraq
As tensions rise between the US and Iran, Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that Australian troops will remain in Iraq to help stabilise Iraq and defeat ISIS.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that Australian troops will remain in Iraq despite recent hostilities between the US and Iran.
Mr Morrison said Australia’s goal remained a stable Iraq and the defeat of ISIS.
“This is the mission that we have been part of, as part of a broad Coaltion, and that remains our mission and we remain tasked to that mission,” he said.
“We remain committed to carrying on this important work”.
Australian Defence Force had drawn up contingency plans for a withdrawal from Iraq but no decision had been made.
Mr Morrison said the government’s priority was the “safety and security” of Australians in Iraq.
“The chief of the defence force and the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advise every precaution is being taken to ensure Australian military and diplomatic personnel are safe,” he said.
“As I have said before, Australia wants to see and has encouraged restraint and de-escalation and I welcome President Trump’s statement overnight.”
Mr Morrison said Australia was in “close contact” the United States and other coalition partners.
“Indeed this morning I was in discussions with the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Trudeau, where we discussed this matter,” he said.
“I have been in contact also today with the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and we will speak again later today about these issues.”
Mr Morrison said the government would continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East “very closely”.
“(We will) remain as committed to the task that we have in front of us there,as so many, particularly of our defence force personnel and our diplomatic personnel (have),” he said.
“They have been so tasked and so passionate in their deployment over many years now and they have achieved a great deal, particularly in raising up and training efforts that have been particularly implemented out there in Taji and they have done great work and they will continue to do great work.”
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds took to the airwaves today to assure families with loved ones serving in the Middle East every effort is being made to ensure their safety.
She said the apparent escalation in tensions between the US and Iran including yesterday’s missile attack on two Iraqi bases housing US troops was a concern and situation monitored closely.
But she said there would be no repositioning of Aussie troops just yet; numerous other Coalition countries in Iraq to fight Islamic State (ISIS) have moved troops from Iraq to Kuwait and Jordan in the past 24 hours as a precaution.
She said she expected to be in Perth on Monday to farewell frigate HMAS Toowoomba as it departs for the Straits of Hormuz, the only sea trade route in the Persian Gulf to the open sea where there has been recent attacks and Iran has threatened to block.
The ADF currently has 1000 personnel in the Middle East.
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“We always monitor our force protection circumstances to meet new threats and that’s what we are doing at the moment in Iraq, we are not taking any sudden decisions because our people are safe and we are monitoring the situation to see what happens over the next couple of days,” Senator Reynolds said this morning.
“But it is always, always our top priority (safety).”
Senator said she was in contact with the US and other coalition counterparts and the Federal Government national emergency committee was meeting here to review security.
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She said if HMAS Toowoomba left on Monday from Perth it would be the 68th deployment of an Australian frigate to the Middle East and had an important role to play in the maritime security of the region.
Senator Reynolds “warmly welcomed” US President Donald Trump’s apparent cooling in rhetoric on the situation.
“Can I assure all Australians and particularly families at home of those who have loved ones serving in Iraq and the wider Middle East generally that all our ADF personnel and diplomatic personnel are safe,” she said.
“But we do continue to urge all parties to exercise restraint and de-escalation.”
Originally published as Defence Minister ensures safety of Australian troops in Iraq
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