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| An Australian Army Soldier trains Iraqi Army Soldiers |
CANBERRA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia is yet to rule out expanding its current military role in the Middle East, the nation's defence minister said on Thursday, as coalition forces continue to recapture areas previously held by Islamic State (IS).
Following an announcement earlier this week that Australia would be sending an additional 15 personnel to Iraq to train local police officers, Defence Minister Marise Payne told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) there could be scope for further involvement.
She said any additional role would not likely be combat-related, rather, there would be an increased capacity for Australian forces to help the local communities rebuild through construction, training of police or in other fields.
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