WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand announced Monday that it plans to keep its small contingent of troops in Iraq for an additional 18 months as it continues to back the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
Last year, New Zealand deployed 143 military personnel on a two-year mission to train Iraqi security forces. That mission was due to end next May, but Prime Minister John Key said the troops would now stay until November 2018.
Key said the mission would be altered. The New Zealand troops will now be authorized to train Iraqi police as well as the army, as Iraq tries to hold onto recent territory gains over IS.
The New Zealand troops are based in the Taji military base north of Baghdad as part of a joint mission with Australia.

Source: Extracted from an AP repor t, June 20, 2016