Loading ...Australian commandos could work alongside soldiers from the feared Iranian Quds forces in the battle against the Islamic State group in Iraq, Defence Minister David Johnston has said.
Senator Johnston said the crisis created by the Islamic State’s brutal capture of vast tracts of territory was sufficiently acute that differences should be put aside in the common interest of stopping their reign of terror.
His remarks came as the government revealed that Australians were continuing to join extremist groups such as the Islamic State either as fighters or supporters, with the total now reaching about 185.
Senator Johnston, when asked whether Australia’s commandos, who will advise and assist Iraqi forces, would work alongside Iranians, told Sky News: “They may be. I don’t see a problem in that, given the nature of the threat.”
The revelation highlights the complexity of the battle against the Islamic State, which has brought together a broad but brittle coalition of countries that are often usually at odds and whom, in many cases, are continuing to pursue their own interests on the side, even as they work in common to stop the militant group.