Australia to send fresh troops, frigate to Gulf
PLA Daily 2004-02-24
CANBERRA, Feb. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Australia will send a defence force team to Iraq to help train the Iraq's armed forces, Defence Minister Robert Hill said in a statement Monday.
He said 53 military personnel will be sent to Iraq in May for adeployment of about six months. And 40 of them will be training three Iraqi army battalions and brigade headquarters staff.
"They will provide training in the full range of professional military and practical skills, including receiving orders and instructions, marching fitness and weapons training," he said.
Extra security personnel and two more light armored vehicles will be deployed at the Iraqi training base outside Baghdad to protect the Australian training staff, he said.
In addition, the ANA class frigate HAMS Stuart will be sent to the Middle East to replace the guided missile frigate HAMS Melbourne which has been in the Gulf since last November.
Hill said the number of Australian Defense force personnel in the Middle East would remain at about 850.
"Our forces continue to provide outstanding support to coalition forces in many specialist fields as well as protecting Australia's interests in Iraq," Hill said.
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