Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    CANBERRA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson announced Friday that 20 extra Australian soldiers will be sent to Iraq in the coming weeks to support a new role in the war-torn Middle East country.

    Australian forces are currently providing an overseeing role in the Al Muthanna Province.

    That will be expanded to include the Dhi Qar province, once Italian forces withdraw at the end of next month, Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported.

    Nelson said an additional 20 troops will be deployed to Iraq in the coming weeks to support the joint role in Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna provinces.

    He said he phoned his British counterpart overnight to inform him about the extra troops, but will not say exactly what they will be doing.

    "The advice I have from the Chief of Defense and our risk assessors is that this is perfectly manageable, the battle group of 500 will effectively be able to cover the two provinces," he was quoted as saying.

    "We will provide backup to the Iraqi security forces should a crisis be declared both by the Prime Minister of Iraq and by the provincial governor," he said.

    "This is a logical extension of the over watch we have been providing," he said.

    Meanwhile, Nelson restated that Australia will not withdraw from Iraq until the job is done.

    "Australia will not be held hostage to an artificial timeframe to withdraw from Iraq. We will only leave when the job is done," he said in a statement.

    Australia joined the U.S.-led multi-nation forces to invade Iraq in 2003 and still keeps around 1,400 soldiers in the region. Enditem