Five things that have changed about Canada’s military mission against ISIL

By Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – It has been nearly eight months since the Liberal government announced it was withdrawing Canada’s fighter jets from Iraq and Kuwait. Here’s five other changes to the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:

1. Special operators: The number of special forces troops on the ground in northern Iraq was 168 as of Sept. 8, according to documents tabled in the House of Commons — more than twice the 69 troops originally deployed in September 2014. There is also one in Baghdad and one in Kuwait.

2. Flying high: Two of Canada’s surveillance planes and a Canadian air-to-air refueller have continued to operate over Iraq and Syria. The surveillance planes have flown 592 reconnaissance missions since October 2014, while the refueller has flown 563 missions and delivered nearly 15,000 tonnes of fuel.

3. Big footprint: More than 425 other military personnel are currently spread across four countries in the region to help fight ISIL, the documents say. The majority are in Kuwait, where Canada’s three aircraft are based, but there are also 60 in Iraq, five in Jordan and six in Qatar.

4. Arming the Kurds: The government said in February that Canada will buy weapons and ammunition for the Kurds. But officials say they are still seeking “diplomatic assurances” that the weapons won’t be used for purposes other than fighting ISIL.

5. The price tag: The military mission is expected to cost around $305 million between April 2016 and March 2018. However, officials say that could change depending on whether the government decides to expand the mission or take a different tack.

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