Photo: defence.gov.au

The Minister will attend a meeting of Defence Ministers from the counter-Daesh coalition in Brussels on 16 February, to discuss the military campaigns in Iraq and Syria.

Daesh has now lost more than 60 per cent of the territory it once held in Iraq and this meeting will be an opportunity to further progress the coalition campaign against the terrorist group.

While in Brussels, Minister Payne will meet with the new US Secretary of Defense James Mattis to discuss a range of shared defence and security issues.

Minister Payne will also meet with the new Iraqi Minister for Defence Irfan al‑Hayyali and reiterate Australia’s ongoing commitment to help Iraq’s Security Forces in the fight against Daesh, including current operations to liberate Mosul.