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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/31/australian-planes-deliver-weapons--kurds-fighting-islamic-state
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Australian planes to deliver weapons for Kurds fighting Islamic State | Australian planes to deliver weapons for Kurds fighting Islamic State |
(35 minutes later) | |
Australian war planes will deliver arms and munitions to Kurdish fighters battling Islamic state militants in Iraq. | |
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has agreed to a United States government request for Australia to transport military equipment on the Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster aircraft. | |
“Australia will join international partners to help the anti-ISIL forces in Iraq,” Abbott said in a statement. | |
The move follows RAAF airdrops of humanitarian supplies to thousands of people stranded on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq. | The move follows RAAF airdrops of humanitarian supplies to thousands of people stranded on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq. |
“The situation in Iraq represents a humanitarian catastrophe,” Abbott said. | “The situation in Iraq represents a humanitarian catastrophe,” Abbott said. |
He remains in close contact with the US and other allies. | He remains in close contact with the US and other allies. |
Australian planes will fly alongside aircraft from Canada, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. | |
The Iraq government and other regional countries will coordinate Australia’s contribution. | |
The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, declined to comment on reports Australia could also be asked to consider deploying Super Hornets for air strikes. | |
The US had not made that request. “We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves,” he told Sky News. | |
However, the government was looking at Australia’s military capability across a range of areas and would consider other requests. Defining the mission and the objective was critical, Morrison said. | |
“Let’s not kid ourselves either, [the Islamic state] does present a threat. What we’re seeing there is evil incarnate,” he said. |