Canada Votes to Join Air Strikes against ’ISIL’

Local Editor

Canadian lawmakers voted Tuesday to join the international coalition launching air strikes on the "IS" group in Iraq.

Parliamentarians led by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper carried the vote, 157 to 134, in favor of the six-month mission.
Both the opposition New Democrats and Liberals voted against it, saying they fear the mission could become a quagmire.

Six hundred air crew and other personnel, along with six fighter jets and several other military aircraft, will now head to the Middle East.

Harper has ruled out sending ground combat troops.

But 69 special forces soldiers already on the ground will continue to advise security forces fighting the "ISIL" group in the northern part of Iraq.

The White House welcomed Canada's decision.

"The United States welcomes the Canadian government's deployment of fighter and refueling aircraft, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to participate in the campaign to degrade and destroy "ISIL" in Iraq," a White House spokesman said.
The spokesman further added: "Canadians and Americans have fought alongside each other in several major conflicts over the past century, and we are grateful for Canada's further contribution against terrorism."

The "ISIL" group gained international attention in August, when its fighters and those from other militant groups swept through the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, then overran swaths of territory north and west of Baghdad.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team