This video from the Australian Senate says about itself:
Question Time – Australia’s involvement in Iraq and Syria
12 August 2015
Scott [of the Australian Greens] questions the [right-wing] Abbott Government over negotiations with the US to increase Australia’s military role in Iraq and Syria.
Translated from Dutch NOS TV:
Australia suspends air operations in Syria
Today, 08:48
Australia is stopping temporarily bombing Syria. According to the Australian Department of Defense, it is a precautionary measure, as the tensions between Russia and the United States over the air strikes have risen.
The reason for the tension is an incident in which US pilots shot a Syrian fighter plane down on Sunday. Russia, ally of Syria, is furious about that. Yesterday, Moscow announced that it is now considering all aircraft and drones of the international [Donald Trump’s Pentagon-led] coalition operating west of the Euphrates river as targets.
Also Australia has been a part of the international coalition that has been active over Syria for several years, but the country has now suspended that. The department does not yet say how for long the suspension will last.
The Australian participation in operations on Iraq will continue, says the ministry.
Raising the specter of the Syrian conflict escalating into a military confrontation between the world’s two major nuclear powers, the Russian Defense Ministry Monday issued a warning that it would treat any US or allied aircraft operating in western Syria, where Moscow’s own forces, as well as those of the Syrian government, are based, as a hostile target: here.
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