Australia said Tuesday it will send 300 more soldiers to Iraq to help train forces fighting against ISIS terrorist organization, dpa reported. Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed the deployment, which will bring to 500 the total number of Australian troops in Iraq. The decision was approved by the federal cabinet. The mission was expected to commence in May. The soldiers will be based at Taji, north-west of Iraq's capital Baghdad, Abbott said. "This decision is in Australia's national interest," he said. The soldiers will be part of a joint training mission with New Zealand. New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key last week said his country would send 140 soldiers to Iraq.
