Iraq Calls for Increased Military Assistance from Australia

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, on Sunday, January 4, requested his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott in Baghdad to increase military assistance from Australia to Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State group. According to AFP, Tony Abbott traveled to Baghdad to discuss bilateral cooperation. Australia is a member of the US-led coalition that has conducted airstrikes against the positions of the Islamic State group, formerly known as ISIS, in recent months. Australia has also deployed forces to assist the Iraqi government. According to the Iraqi Prime Minister's office, Haider al-Abadi asked Tony Abbott to not only increase military aid to Iraq but also to expedite the training of Iraqi forces and meet the needs of Iraqi forces to eliminate the enemy. The Islamic State group has seized large areas of Sunni regions in Iraq since June of last year. The inability of Iraqi forces to confront the ISIS group led to the US-led international coalition coming to the aid of the Iraqi government. Australia was among the first countries to join this international coalition. Reports indicate that the Australian Prime Minister emphasized the continuation of military assistance to the Iraqi government. Meanwhile, sources from the US-led international coalition announced on Sunday that the air forces of coalition member countries have conducted seven airstrikes against the positions of the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. According to Reuters, six airstrikes targeted the Islamic State group around the city of Kobani in Syria and on the border with Turkey. The coalition forces also conducted airstrikes against the Islamic State group around the city of Mosul.