Canberra, September 15 (RHC)-- Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his country will deploy 600 soldiers to the United Arab Emirates to fight ISIL Takfiri terrorists operating in Iraq. On Sunday, the Australian premier said that some "400 air personnel and about 200 military personnel" would be deployed to join the US-led international coalition preparing to fight the ISIL militants.

The announcement comes after Washington formally requested Australia to contribute to the international coalition the U.S. has been attempting to put together.

"There are obviously further decisions to be taken before Australian forces will be committed to combat operations in Iraq," Abbott said. "Nevertheless, Australia is prepared to engage in international operations to disrupt and degrade ISIL because of the threat that this murderous death cult poses not just to the people of Iraq, not just to the people of the Middle East, but to the whole world including to Australia," the Australian prime minister said. Abbott added that his country did not intend to send soldiers to fight the militants in Syria.

Earlier this week, Canberra raised its terror alert level to "high" over growing concerns regarding the return of the Australians fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Observers believe the U.S. and its allies, including Australia, are directly responsible for the rise of Takfiri terrorist groups such as ISIL in the region because of their interventionist policies, particularly in Iraq and Syria.