Australian Air Force plane delivers ammunition to Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces fighting jihadists 3.9.2014

Australian Air Force plane delivers ammunition to Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces fighting jihadists  3.9.2014

An RAAF Globemaster has delivered ammunition to Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State. Photo: AAP • See Related Articles September 3, 2014



ERBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan region 'Iraq',— A Royal Australian Air Force plane has delivered ammunition to Kurdish forces as Ban Ki-moon endorses intervention in Iraq

A Royal Australian Air Force plane has delivered ammunition to Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Kurdistan region of Iraq before returning safely to an airbase in the United Arab Emirates, Defence says.

The C-17A Globemaster aircraft flew to Tirana in Albania over the weekend where it was loaded. It delivered the ammunition to the Kurdish town of Erbil via Baghdad and landed back at Al Minhad air base in the UAE.

“The aircraft’s crew has confirmed that no shots were fired at the aircraft and that their mission was carried out without incident,” Defence said in a statement early on Wednesday.

Chief of joint operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston said further aid, stores and support flights may be planned to assist the people of northern Iraq, who remain under threat from extremist Islamic State [Isis] fighters.

“The aircrew and support staff at joint task force 633 have done a great job to successfully coordinate this mission to assist the people of northern Iraq,” he said.


“The cargo, in this case ammunition, was first inspected and cleared by Iraqi officials onboard the aircraft in Baghdad before the aircraft landed in Erbil.

RAAF C130 Hercules aircraft have already been involved in dropping aid to communities inwww.Ekurd.net northern Iraq threatened by the advance of Islamic State militants.

The new RAAF role flying in small arms and ammunition is part of a US-led effort to fend off the IS militants and on Tuesday received the backing of UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

Ban said it was important that nations such as Australia helped address the situation in Iraq.

“Without addressing this issue through certain means, including some military and counter-terrorist actions, we will just end up allowing these terrorist activities to continue,” he told reporters in Auckland on Tuesday.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has warned of further risks involved in the Iraq mission.

“Obviously, flying humanitarian air drops into combat zones are full of risk. But the risks are reasonable given the importance of the missions they’re flying,” he said on Tuesday.

Labor leader Bill Shorten restated his support for the airdrops and weapons airlift but acknowledged there were easy options there.

 


“Providing the Kurds with light weapons, the opportunity to defend themselves against people who would kill their families, to me is the only logical choice here,” Shorten said.

Regions and cities names in Kurdish may have been changed or added to the article by Ekurd.net

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