Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    CANBERRA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Australia is planning to withdraw its 550 combat troops based in southern Iraq, the country's military chief said Wednesday.

    Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told a Senate committee that the Australian troops based in the province of Dhi Qar as well as 65 army trainers in Iraq have completed their mission and is planning to pull out.

    "We have achieved our objectives in southern Iraq," said Houston, the head of Australia's defense force. "It's time to leave. The job is done."

    He said the troops have been on standby to offer backup to Iraqi forces in the south for the past two years but were no longer needed, Houston said.

    He said that the security situation in Iraq has improved significantly over the past 12 months. "The government of Iraq and its security forces have demonstrated a high level of resolve to work along side coalition forces," he said.

    The new Australian government, elected in November last year, promised to pull out the country's combat troops from Iraq by mid-2008.

    Houston said Australia currently has 1,540 military personnel in and around Iraq.

    The country deployed 2,000 troops in Iraq in 2003 to back the U.S. and British military in the Iraq invasion.