NZ soldiers en route to Australia, Iraq

Defence Force personnel leaving New Zealand for Australia. Photo / Supplied

A second contingent of New Zealand soldiers destined for Iraq left for a training camp in Australia today.

The 100 strong group of Defence Force personnel flew out from the Ohakea Air Force Base for a "Mission Readiness" exercise at the Enoggera Military Camp in Brisbane.

During the week-long camp the Kiwi soldiers will integrate with the Australian Defence Force into a single group that will train the Iraqi Security Forces.

The contingent includes those who will deploy to Iraq for the Building Partner Capacity training mission, as well as exercise support staff.

The Brisbane training will include scenarios designed to ensure the Task Group trainers are ready, and to demonstrate to their senior commanders that they are fully prepared for the tasks and environment they will face in Iraq.

Those travelling to the exercise include trainers, health, logistics and force protection personnel, as well as headquarters staff.

The first Task Group Taji, the combined Australian and New Zealand group which has been training Iraqi Security Forces since late April, is achieving good progress in enabling Iraqi soldiers through training said Acting Land Component Commander Colonel Rob Gillard.

"Approximately 2,100 Iraqi soldiers have completed unit-level and individual specialty courses conducted by the Task Group," he said.

New Zealand sent an initial 143-strong contingent to Iraq five months ago, with the group training Iraqi forces at Camp Taji.