Abadi to Australian PM: ISIS a threat to the world

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull by phone Monday that ISIS was not a threat to Iraq alone, but the whole world, Abadi’s media office has reported, adding that Abadi thanked Turnbull for Australia’s role in fighting ISIS.

In a statement, the media office added that Turnbull emphasized in the phone call that the “Iraqi army should be better and more equipped and trained.”

Australia has taken a major role in boosting the Iraqi army, and Australia’s military trainers and army personnel in Iraq “have been a good support for our forces,” Abadi reportedly also said.
 
Australia joined the US-led anti-ISIS coalition in October 2014, but its then Prime Minister Tony Abbot took pains to stress his country was not going to war.