SAF support team deployed to anti-ISIS coalition for another year
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. Photo: Ernest Chua
SINGAPORE — The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will deploy its Imagery Analysis Team (IAT) to the anti-ISIS coalition for another year, said Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen in Parliament today (Jan 28).
Citing the recent terror attacks in Paris, Istanbul and Jakarta, as well as the arrest of the 27 radicalised Bangladeshis in Singapore, Dr Ng said these “unfortunate but stark examples” underscore the fact that “no country is safe, not even countries which are located thousands of kilometres away” from Iraq and Syria.
“The threat posed by terrorism is a long-term one and the campaign will not end quickly,” he said. “By contributing to the international effort to tackle the threat at source, we are contributing directly to our own safety.”
Dr Ng was responding to a question by Member of Parliament (MP) for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam on whether there was an update on Singapore’s deployment of support to the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Headquarters since the deployment of a liaison officer to the United States Command Headquarters in December 2014.
Dr Ng said an IAT has been deployed to the CJTF Headquarters in Kuwait since September last year, and it was the coalition’s first imagery analysis capability based there. It has provided the coalition with “useful intelligence support” to identify terrorist infrastructure and facilities and to avoid targeting civilian areas, said Dr Ng. Responding to requests, the SAF agreed to deploy the IAT for another year in 2016.
The SAF has also deployed an intelligence planner since January last year and supported air-to-air refuelling operations with its KC-135R tanker aircraft from May to August last year.
“In the short period of three months, our tanker aircraft flew 52 sorties and refuelled 142 coalition aircraft,” said Dr Ng.
Adding that the SAF will continue its deployments through out this year, Dr Ng noted other countries, including Malaysia, have joined the coalition, “because they too recognise that unless the source of this radicalisation is disrupted, our citizens at home cannot be protected”.
Asked by Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh if MINDEF was considering a different approach to increase Singapore’s commitment and contributions to the coalition, in view of a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council last year condemning terror attacks perpetuated by ISIS, Dr Ng said it is “not so much a different approach”.
The ministry recognises that “threat levels have gone up”, and threat levels to places outside of Iraq and Syria has increased, he noted.
“We recognise that that would happen and indeed it has, unfortunately, so I think it only strengthens our resolve that we have to help other countries attack the problem at source,” said Dr Ng. “As I said we will contribute meaningful ways in … areas and in ways which coalition partners feel that we can contribute.”
