WELLINGTON, June 10 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will continue its ongoing participation in the multinational information sharing and intelligence mission Operation Gallant Phoenix, confirmed Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern on Monday.
Announcing in a media release, the New Zealand government said it will extend its mandate of a small number of personnel to the operation for 18 months until December 2020.
"New Zealand began participating in Operation Gallant Phoenix in late 2014 in support of our efforts to uncover information relating to the location of a New Zealander taken hostage by IS," Ardern said. "We continue to gather from this operation useful security information on the risk of terrorism and violent extremism, so it makes sense for us to continue our small presence."
It is understood that information share from Operation Gallant Phoenix was then passed on to the relevant domestic law enforcement agencies in New Zealand.
"Through our initial involvement relating to a New Zealand hostage we have been made aware of the broader work of the operation, and the benefits to New Zealand's national security of ongoing collaboration," said Defence Minister Ron Mark.
Operation Gallant Phoenix, initiated in 2013, is a U.S.-led effort to identify fighters from Western nations who have joined Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda-affiliated groups in Syria. The operation now comprises a large number of countries, and includes a variety of agencies including from law enforcement along with military and civilian personnel.
