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Canada PM asks parliament to support Iraq airstrikes

03 October 2014 23:16 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Canada is poised to join the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq after Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday outlined plans to seek a vote on joining the mission, APA reports quoting AFP.

If the House of Commons greenlights the action as expected, it will be Canada's first military expedition since Libya in 2011.

In his address to the Commons, Harper said an unspecified number of CF-18 fighter jets and air-to-air refueling aircraft would be sent to the region to strike targets within Iraq's borders.

Local media, citing unnamed military sources, put the figure at four to eight CF-18s.

Harper said Canadian warplanes could also target the militant group in Syria, but only "with the clear support of the government of that country."

The prime minister also asked to extend the deployment of up to 69 special forces soldiers advising security forces fighting the Islamic State group in the northern part of Iraq.

There are currently 26 Canadian special forces in Iraq, according to Defense Minister Rob Nicholson. They were sent to Iraq a month ago and were scheduled to return this weekend.

There will be "no ground combat mission," Harper insisted.