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| Southeast Asia |
| 140 reservists deployed to Solomon Islands |
| 2008-10-25 |
| Another 140 Australian reserve soldiers will be deployed to the Solomon Islands to help maintain peace and stability, the Federal Government has announced. The soldiers will join in Operation ANODE, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI). The reservists from South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, will help "maintain regional peace and stability" and help the local government improve law and order, the defence department said. "During the four-month deployment, the soldiers will carry out street patrols alongside the Australian Federal Police and in support of the RAMSI participating police forces within Solomon Islands," Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said in a statement. "Additionally, Army personnel will also be involved in numerous community outreach activities on behalf of RAMSI." Mr Fitzgibbon thanked the reservists' civilian bosses for releasing the soldiers. "Their contribution in Solomon Islands is made all the more exceptional by the fact that their civilian employers have released them to provide military service to a neighbour in need," he said. Since 2006, the ADF has deployed five Army Reserve Company groups accounting for more than 700 part-time soldiers. Reservists make up the bulk of the regiment currently in the Solomon Islands, with 140 full-time troops also on the ground. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |