Canberra, Australia: An Australian military aircraft will soon fly guns and ammunition to the northern Iraqi city of Arbil to help Kurds fight Isil militants as part of a US-led multi-nation mission, Australia’s prime minister said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his government would join the United States, Britain, Canada, France and Italy in delivering rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and assault rifle ammunition at the request of the US and Iraqi governments.

“While we understandably shrink from reaching out to these conflicts, the truth is that these conflicts reach out to us,” Abbott told reporters.

“None of us want to get involved in another Middle Eastern war, but it is important to do what reasonably can be done to avert potential genocide,” he added.

Australia will use air force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster planes to deliver weapons and ammunition provided by East European countries.

Australia has said it has F/A-18 Hornets standing ready to join US air strikes in Iraq if requested by the US and Iraqi governments.

Abbott said Sunday the United States had not requested that Australia play a combat role. If such a request were made, Abbott said it would be considered if it fits the criteria of an achievable overall objective with a clear role for Australian forces. Safety risks must be considered and an overall humanitarian purpose must be in accordance with Australia’s national interest, he said.

Australian C-130s had previously made humanitarian airdrops including food and water to thousands of people stranded by fighting on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq.

Defence Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin revealed that an Australian C-130 had on Sunday made a humanitarian airdrop of food, water and hygiene packs to the besieged Iraqi town of Amelie — enough for 2,600 people for a day.

Binskin said the weapons would not be airdropped, but handed over to Kurdish peshmerga officials.

The opposition Labor Party, which opposed Australia sending 2,000 troops to back US and British forces in the 2003 Iraq invasion, has supported the latest Australian involvement in delivering weapons and munitions to the Kurds.

Australia estimates 60 of its citizens are fighting for the Isil group and another Al Qaida offshoot, Jabhat Al Nusra, also known as the Al Nusra Front, in Iraq and Syria. Another 15 Australian fighters had been killed, including two young suicide bombers.