Canada is pulling its fighter jets out of the US-led coalition against Islamic State, but will triple its training mission and increase humanitarian aid to the region instead.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the six CF-18 jets would cease airstrikes on 22 February, following through on a campaign pledge to end Canada’s role in the anti-Isis bombing mission in Iraq and Syria.
Trudeau, who was elected to office in November, said boosting security and development efforts will help create capacity to build long-term stability in the region, adding that the new contributions will be more effective and better able to capitalize on Canada’s areas of military and diplomatic expertise.
“I’m proud of the mission we’ve put forward,” he said. “It’s complete, it’s robust.”
As the fighter jets are pulled out of the region, Canada will increase its military personnel from about 650 to 830, which includes adding roughly 140 new special forces troops to the current 69 serving in an “advise and assist” role to security forces fighting in northern Iraq.
Canada will also begin sending small arms and ammunition to Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi forces battling Isis.
“We will be supporting and empowering local forces to take their fight directly to Isil, so that kilometre by kilometre, they can reclaim their homes, their land and their future,” said Trudeau, using another acronym for the Islamic State.
A Canadian Polaris aerial refueller will remain in the region supporting other coalition members on their bombing sorties in Iraq and Syria, as will a reconnaissance aircraft.
The Liberal government will also contribute more than CDN$1.6bn over three years to bolster security, stabilization and humanitarian aid to the region, including increasing counterterrorism efforts in neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan.
But officials conceded that the redefined mission will both be more expensive and more dangerous than Canada’s current contribution.
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