The “deeply disturbing” events in Iraq are fuelling a regional humanitarian crisis, Australia's foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, has warned as she dismissed the prospect of redeploying Australian troops to the country.



On Sunday the Australian government signalled its willingness to help address the humanitarian crisis, possibly in the form of financial assistance. It also urged Australian citizens to leave Iraq “immediately” as it could not guarantee consular support.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, said as he finished his visit to the United States that no one should underestimate the seriousness of the situation in Iraq. Australia would keep speaking to the US about options, he said.

Bishop said she was disturbed by the actions of the “particularly extreme and brutal terrorist group”, Isis, in capturing the second-largest city in Iraq and attacking other cities and key infrastructure, including oil refineries.

“It's a humanitarian crisis because not only have hundreds been killed in the last few weeks and months, but it's estimated that about 500,000 people are fleeing Mosul and other cities in the north-west,” Bishop told Network Ten’s Bolt Report on Sunday.

“That adds to the about 225,000 Syrian refugees that are currently in Iraq, as well as about 300,000 displaced people as a result of previous conflicts and fighting earlier in the year, so a humanitarian crisis is unfolding.”

The US has ruled out sending ground troops into Iraq; Australia has indicated it could consider a request for funding for humanitarian purposes.

“I didn't envisage a circumstance where we would be sending in troops, but we certainly stand ready to support the humanitarian crisis should a request be made,” Bishop said.

The foreign affairs minister did not directly answer questions about whether the US president, Barack Obama, had pulled American troops out of Iraq too soon, but said nobody could have predicted what would happen in Syria. She said the security threat was not confined to Syria and Iraq but was likely to undermine regional stability and therefore affect the world.

Bishop said she had supported the “liberation of Iraq” in 2003 as Saddam Hussein was “one of the worst dictators on the planet at that time and his removal was a good thing”.

Facing questions in Houston, Texas, Abbott said the US was weighing its options for responding to the deepening crisis. He did not say whether Australia's national security committee had met to consider the Iraq situation.

“The important thing at the moment is to let the Americans decide what they think is an appropriate way forward, in what is a difficult and complex situation,” Abbott said.

“We'll keep talking with them and if there is a need for decisions, the decisions will be made.”

Underlining the seriousness of the situation, Abbott said: “The group which is now in apparent control of large swathes of Iraq and parts of Syria is a group that was too radical for al-Qaida.

“They are an extremist splinter group from the most extreme terrorist group the world has seen, so let's not underestimate just how serious this situation is. Let's not underestimate what a humanitarian disaster for the people of Iraq this is, as well as what a threat to the security of the Middle East and the wider world this could turn out to be.”

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) described the security situation as “very volatile” and at risk of deteriorating further with little warning.

A spokeswoman was unable to provide figures on the number of Australians in Iraq but said they should leave immediately by commercial means if safe to do so.

“Those who choose to remain should make arrangements in line with their own personal situations,” she said. “Due to the very challenging security environment we are unlikely to be able to provide consular assistance in Iraq at the current time.”

Bishop said the airport in Baghdad was open and commercial flights were operating.

Dfat said people concerned about the welfare of their Australian family and friends in Iraq should attempt to contact them directly. Those who could not make contact and were concerned should call Dfat's consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 if calling from overseas.

