There are promising signs Islamic State extremists are losing their hold over Iraq, Australian defence officials say.
It's estimated 9500 IS or Daesh fighters have been killed as coalition forces bomb key defences and facilities, and Iraqi and other ground forces seize back and hold territory.
However, Daesh still has about 31,500 fighters including 18,000 foreigners, 90 of whom hail from Australia.
Chief of joint operations Vice Admiral David Johnston said on Monday the deaths were a warning to any Australians who might be influenced by Islamic extremists.
"Overall the signs are promising," he said of the mission from Canberra.
"When territory is captured it's tending to be held onto better than it has in the past."
Australia's two-seater Super Hornets will return home this week, replaced by the RAAF's single-seater Classic Hornets.
The government is yet to give the green light to the next phase of Australia's mission but New Zealand forces will be visiting in coming weeks for joint training and planning.
It is anticipated 100 NZ and 300 Australian defence personnel will jointly train Iraqi forces at Taji, 30km north of Baghdad.
The training will be crucial as the Iraqi government considers how to seize back the country's second biggest city, Mosul.
Vice Admiral Johnston said Daesh's atrocities continued in parts of Iraq.
More then 1600 bodies have been found in 23 mass graves since mid-2014 and in the past month there have been at least four reports of executions of Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Over the past month, RAAF Super Hornets have destroyed bomb factories and a 16-metre tall defensive wall spanning one kilometre near Mosul.
They also came to the rescue of Iraqi forces hemmed in by Daesh fighters in Ramadi, allowing them to escape without further casualties.
A significant number of Daesh leaders have been killed, and technical equipment destroyed, with extremist forces increasingly having to turn to "stone-age methods of communication".
Asked whether he could confirm the deaths of any Australians fighting with Daesh, Vice Admiral Johnston said: "We are not trying to confirm them."
Share
