Islamic State: Australian refuelling, surveillance planes join campaign against militant group in Iraq

Updated 6 minutes agoWed 1 Oct 2014, 10:06pm

Photo: An RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft will support international forces. (Australian Defence Force)

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Map: Australia

Australian refuelling and surveillance planes will today start flying over Iraq in support of the international coalition battling Islamic State (IS) militants, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

But Mr Abbott has told Parliament there is yet to be a decision made on when to commit Australian combat aircraft to the fight against what he says is an “apocalyptic death cult”.

Australia last month sent 600 military personnel and eight F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates in preparation for joining the attack on IS targets in Iraq.

“We have not yet made a final decision to commit our forces to combat but Australian aircraft from today will start flying over Iraq in support of allied operations,” Mr Abbott told Question Time this afternoon.

“Ours are support operations, not strike missions.