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Operation CATALYST: Image Gallery

23 August 2005
Al Muthanna Task group (AMTG) on patrol in northern As Samawah

In May 2005, the Australian Government sent a new Australian Task Force to Iraq to help in the process of rebuilding, consolidation and reinforcement, which was made all the more essential in light of the very successful elections held in January 2005.

Iraq is very much at a tilting point, and it's important that the opportunity of democracy, not only in Iraq but also in other parts of the Middle East, be seized and consolidated. The Task Group has been called Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG).

AMTG is in the Al Muthanna province in southern Iraq and it has two tasks. The first of those is to provide a secure environment for the Japanese engineering and support forces which are making a valuable humanitarian contribution to the rebuilding process.

The Japanese forces are involved in matters relating to road and school construction, water availability, and also incidental health tasks.

The Task Group is also involved, importantly, in the further training of Iraqi security forces.

That training is essential to the Iraqis in the future being able to take over the internal and external defence of their country.