Another 100 Defence Force personnel have left for Australia today, preparatory to deployment to Iraq.
New Zealand Defence Force personnel depart for a Mission Readiness Exercise in Australia. Photo: Supplied
The Defence Force says the personnel who flew out of the Ohakea air force base include those who will go to Iraq.
They will be taking part in a mission readiness exercise at the Enoggera army base in Queensland.
It is the second deployment to a joint training mission with Australia at the Taji camp north of Baghdad.
Those travelling to the exercise include trainers, health, logistics and force protection personnel, as well as headquarters staff.
Land Component Commander Colonel Rob Gillard said the combined training provided the opportunity for the Australian and New Zealand staff to build relationships.
"Although the combined training means that our personnel will spend additional time away from home before the deployment, it provides the opportunity for relationships to start to be built.
"The previous Mission Readiness Exercise proved invaluable as it enabled the first Task Group to hit the ground running when they got to Taji."
He said the previous group which had been training Iraqi Security Forces since late April, was achieving good progress in training Iraqi soldiers.
"Approximately 2100 Iraqi soldiers have completed unit-level and individual speciality courses conducted by the Task Group," said Colonel Gillard.
New Zealand Defence Force personnel. Photo: Supplied
Prime Minister John Key recently visited Taji Camp in Iraq to meet the New Zealand troops and witness some of their training, which is designed to better equip the Iraqi security forces in their fight against Daesh, or Islamic State (IS), as part of a 62-country United States-led coalition.
The three-day trip was shrouded in secrecy because of security concerns and Mr Key was the first prime minister to visit troops in Taji Camp, which is surrounded by pockets of IS sympathisers and activity.
After the visit Mr Key said that he had no intention of extending the New Zealand deployment in Iraq beyond its deadline of two years.
New Zealand has deployed military personnel to Iraq twice in the past 15 years, but not in a combat role.
