|
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Hundreds of Australian troops will remain in southern Iraq and begin supporting local security forces in stabilizing the country, Defense Minister Brendan Nelson said Tuesday.
Canberra has 450 troops near the town of Samawah in southern Iraq protecting a team of 600 Japanese non-combat forces involved in humanitarian work.
While Tokyo has not made any official announcement about a military withdrawal, Japanese news reports say the troops could begin returning home as soon as this month.
|