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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Australia to resume air combat missions over Syria | Australia to resume air combat missions over Syria |
| (12 days later) | |
| Australia will resume air combat missions over Syria after the Australian Defence Force lifted a temporary suspension initially sparked by Russian threats to shoot down coalition planes. | Australia will resume air combat missions over Syria after the Australian Defence Force lifted a temporary suspension initially sparked by Russian threats to shoot down coalition planes. |
| The defence department declared the suspension on Tuesday after Russia threatened to shoot down any plane from the US-led coalition they spotted flying west of the Euphrates river. | The defence department declared the suspension on Tuesday after Russia threatened to shoot down any plane from the US-led coalition they spotted flying west of the Euphrates river. |
| The threat was seen as retaliation for the US downing of a Syrian air force jet on Sunday, as tensions in the region rose. | The threat was seen as retaliation for the US downing of a Syrian air force jet on Sunday, as tensions in the region rose. |
| On Thursday the ADF announced it would resume airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. | On Thursday the ADF announced it would resume airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. |
| “This was a precautionary measure to allow the coalition to assess the operational risk,” a department statement said on Thursday. “The suspension has since been lifted.” | “This was a precautionary measure to allow the coalition to assess the operational risk,” a department statement said on Thursday. “The suspension has since been lifted.” |
| The department has not specified how long the suspension lasted. It did not say if Australian airstrikes had resumed or when or if they would. | The department has not specified how long the suspension lasted. It did not say if Australian airstrikes had resumed or when or if they would. |
| Australian Defence Force Chief Mark Binskin said on Wednesday the operations were halted while the Australians examined what was happening in what he had described as a “complex piece of airspace” over Syria. | Australian Defence Force Chief Mark Binskin said on Wednesday the operations were halted while the Australians examined what was happening in what he had described as a “complex piece of airspace” over Syria. |
| The defence minister, Marise Payne, said on Wednesday that Australian “force protection is uppermost in our minds” in deciding when to resume missions over Syria. | The defence minister, Marise Payne, said on Wednesday that Australian “force protection is uppermost in our minds” in deciding when to resume missions over Syria. |
| Binskin said the fighter jets had been occupied recently supporting Iraqi security forces in retaking the city of Mosul, so the suspension had little effect on their operations. | Binskin said the fighter jets had been occupied recently supporting Iraqi security forces in retaking the city of Mosul, so the suspension had little effect on their operations. |
| Tuesday’s suspension was taken to allow coalition forces to assess the operational risk of air strikes, defence said, as US-backed forces seek to take back the city of Raqqa. | Tuesday’s suspension was taken to allow coalition forces to assess the operational risk of air strikes, defence said, as US-backed forces seek to take back the city of Raqqa. |
| The Russian foreign ministry stressed that it would only be tracking coalition planes, but that “a threat for those jets may appear” if they were deemed to pose a threat to Russian aircraft. | The Russian foreign ministry stressed that it would only be tracking coalition planes, but that “a threat for those jets may appear” if they were deemed to pose a threat to Russian aircraft. |
| The statement came amid an increased US bombing campaign and Sunday’s downing of a Syrian jet, the first since the start of the civil war six years ago. | The statement came amid an increased US bombing campaign and Sunday’s downing of a Syrian jet, the first since the start of the civil war six years ago. |
| US central command claimed the jet had dropped bombs near the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and had been shot down “in collective self-defense”. | US central command claimed the jet had dropped bombs near the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and had been shot down “in collective self-defense”. |
| Australia has six fighter F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, based in the United Arab Emirates, that strike targets in Syria and Iraq. Air sorties over Iraq continued during the temporary stay. | Australia has six fighter F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, based in the United Arab Emirates, that strike targets in Syria and Iraq. Air sorties over Iraq continued during the temporary stay. |