4 Nov 2016

NZ military to train in third Iraq base

7:57 pm on 4 November 2016

New Zealand's military role in Iraq is to be expanded, with the government giving approval for troops to offer training at a third military base.

New Zealand soldiers have been training Iraqi troops at the Taji base, and at Besmaya.

They will now also work at Al Taqaddum Air Base, west of Baghdad.

Minister of Defence Gerry Brownlee said five soldiers would be involved in training at Al Taqaddum for short periods of about two weeks.

He said that did not mean the size of the overall deployment would increase.

The situation in Iraq was changing and New Zealand needed to be flexible, Mr Brownlee said.

In June, the government extended New Zealand's deployment until November 2018.

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