Canada will send up to 20 police officers to areas in Iraq formerly occupied by the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) to assist local police with gender, diversity and human rights issues, senior government officials said in a statement on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The officers will support efforts to help re-establish a local police presence in newly liberated areas and "provide strategic advice to Iraqi police on issues related to gender, diversity and human rights within their communities," the release said.

"The Honorable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie; and the Honorable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today announced that Canada will be deploying up to 20 police officers to Iraq," the release stated.

The officers will also provide training on community-based policing techniques to encourage Iraqi police to engage peaceably with all segments of their communities with a focus on women and children, the release added.

Bibeau said Canada will continue to uphold human dignity and speak out for the most vulnerable, including women and girls — who are among the most severely affected by the conflict in Iraq — through its new Feminist International Assistance Policy.

"This mission provides Canadian policewomen with a unique opportunity to train and advise Iraqi police officers and contribute positively to creating longer-term stability, security and prosperity, Bibeau said.

The policing effort is part of Canada’s overall strategy in the Middle East to defeat the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia), according to the release.

On February 8, 2016, Ottawa announced its strategy to address the crises in Iraq and Syria, which included plans for law enforcement capacity building and training.