Australia's PM Tony Abbott Vows to "Deepen" Support for Fight against ISIS during Iraq Visit

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to intensify its efforts to fight terrorism in the Middle East. Abbott, during his recent visit to Baghdad, said Australia would "do everything we reasonably can" to "knock off ISIL" from the region.

"We are determined to deepen our cooperation with the government and the people of Iraq in the weeks and months to come, not because we are a country which goes forward, seeking foreign fights, but because where our vital national interests are threatened, where universal values are at stake, Australia should be a strong partner," Abbott said at a press conference Sunday, BBC reports.

During his first ever trip to Iraq, Abbott met his Iraqi counterpart haider al-Abadi and discussed Australia's role in the fight against the Islamic State.

Australia is part of the U.S.-led coalition against the jihadist group that controls large swathes of land in Iraq as well as Syria.

Till now, Australia has deployed as many as 200 special forces advisers and aircraft which includes six F/A 18 Super Hornets and also support personnel.

Abbott further said that the fight against the IS extremists was "an important struggle" for the entire world.

"It's a struggle not just for the people of Iraq, and not just for the people of this region, but for the whole world - because the Daesh death cult, the ISIL death cult, has declared war against the world. We haven't just seen millions of people displaced, we haven't just seen tens of thousands of people killed here in Iraq. We haven't just seen the beheadings, the crucifixions, the mass executions and the sexual slavery here in Iraq," he added, ABC reports.