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Australia Sends Special Forces to Iraq

Troops, aircraft joining ISIS fight.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says special-forces troops from his country will be deployed in Iraq to help fight Islamic State militants, and that Australian aircraft also will join the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. Abbott said in a nationally televised address that his cabinet has authorized the troops to engage in an "advise and assist" capacity to support the Iraqi army in its battles against the extremist Islamist group. The U.S. has been bombing ISIS and other groups in Syria for two weeks and, with the help of allies, hitting targets in Iraq since August. Abbott said Iraq requested airstrikes. Last month Abbott said the country would send 600 Australian Defense Personnel to the United Arab Emirates to be part of the fight against ISIS.