Federal cabinet has approved the deployment of about 300 additional Australian troops to the Middle East to help train Iraqi forces in their fight against Islamic State.
The deployment will be for two years from the middle of May.
"It is a dangerous place and I can't tell you that this is risk-free," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
The Australian contingent will be joined by more than 100 New Zealand military personnel.
They will be based at the Taji military complex north of Baghdad.
"We won't have a combat role. It's a training mission not a combat mission," Mr Abbott said.
The Australian personnel will be drawn largely from the Army's 7th Brigade based in Brisbane.
The deployment will start on Wednesday and is expected to be operational by the middle of May.
The mission will be to help the Iraqi government prepare sufficient forces to maintain the momentum of the counter-attack against Islamic State and regain control of its territory.
The size and nature of Australia's overall commitment in Iraq would also remain under regular review, Mr Abbott said.
Australian personnel will not be working with local militias.
"We don't work with irregulars, we don't work with informal, armed groups," Mr Abbott said.
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