New Zealand will send a small number of troops to Iraq to help train local forces in their battle against the Islamic State group. Prime Minister John Key made the announcement on Tuesday.
"Such an operation would be behind the wire and limited to training Iraqi security forces in order to counter ISIL (Islamic State) and legitimately protect innocent people. The government has decided to deploy a non-combat training mission to Iraq to contribute to the international fight against ISIL. This is likely to be a joint training mission with Australia."
Key says the country will deploy up to 143 military personnel and most of whom will likely be based in the Taji military base north of Baghdad as part of a non-combat mission with Australia to train units within the Iraqi Security Forces.
The Prime Minster and his government made the decision without putting it to a parliamentary vote, a move that some say was prompted due to a perceived lack of parliamentary support for the measure.
Opposition Labor Party leader Andrew Little contends that it is 'unrealistic' to say the troops would be there purely in a non-combat role.
