Australia suspends military flights over Syria after US downs warplane
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Australia said it was suspending military flights over Syria two days after a U.S. Navy F-18 Super Hornet shot down a Syrian jet near the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa.
The Australian military also flies Super Hornets, the only other nation besides the U.S. to do so.
A U.S. official in the Middle East called the move a “temporary measure,” when reached by Fox News.
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The official added the U.S. has “repositioned” its air forces in Syria in the wake of the U.S. downing of the Russian-made Syrian jet.
As an example of the change, fewer American jets are bombing ISIS targets and more are being tasked with air-to-air roles in case Syria or Russia seeks revenge for the loss of the Assad regime jet after it was shot down, the official said.
Two weeks ago on a visit to Sydney, Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, "We are united in our resolve to defeat ISIS."
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According to the Australian Defense Ministry, its F-18 Super Hornets have not flown over Syria since February.