MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - The Australia government is planning to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. The nation’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has stated Sunday the decision to join the US-led effort is being finalized with Australian attorney-generals and police ministers. The governmental approval of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) strikes against Jihadi militants may come as early as next week after the meetings of the national security committee and the cabinet itself.
Australian policymakers are currently waiting for authorization from the Iraqi government to conduct the airstrikes. "We need to have a legal framework ... we want to ensure that we can get the legal framework in place", said Julie Bishop, Australia’s foreign minister.
The RAAF could engage IS fighters in Syria as well, Bishop said.The Labour opposition in Australia’s parliament has argueed against the idea of the nation’s involvement in Syria. Some sources indicate this is because an operation against IS in Syria would benefit the Assad regime, which is inappropriate for the public opinion and policymakers alike.
As of today, an Australian air wing of 8 Hornets has already been deployed in Camp Baird, UAE, along with a special task force. These units are ready to commence the operation against IS as soon as the political agreement is reached..
