Australia to fly guns and ammunition into Iraq

An Australian military aircraft will soon fly guns and ammunition to the northern Iraqi city of Irbil to help Kurds fight Islamic State militants as part of a US-led multination mission, Australia's prime minister said on Sunday. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his government would join the United States, Britain, Canada, France and Italy in delivering rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and assault rifle ammunition at the request of the US and Iraqi governments. ‘While we understandably shrink from reaching out to these conflicts, the truth is that these conflicts reach out to us,’ Abbott told reporters. ‘None of us want to get involved in another Middle Eastern war, but it is important to do what reasonably can be done to avert potential genocide,’ he added. Australia will use air force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster planes based at al-Minhad Air Base outside Dubai to deliver weapons and ammunition provided by East European countries. Australia has said it has F/A-18 Hornets standing ready to join US airstrikes in Iraq if requested by the US and Iraqi governments, according to AP.