Troops leave for Solomon Islands

About 100 Australian troops have flown out of Darwin Airport, on their way to the Solomon Islands in a troop rotation to assist the regional assistance mission.

Violence and looting flared in the capital Honiara in April amid anger at the election of Snyder Rini as Prime Minister.

The situation has since stabilised, and the soldiers will serve about four months assisting federal police to maintain law and order and rebuild institutions.

Major General Ash Power says many of the soldiers from Darwin's Robertson Barracks are serving in their first overseas mission.

"This group actually was preparing to do another task to, go to another part of South-East Asia and we're able to switch them onto this task at very short notice," he said.

Major General Power says the soldiers are well equipped for the peacekeeping operation.

"This sort of thing is becoming bit more common but the Army is able to do a whole range of things from humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, this peacekeeping type of operation, right through to war fighting," he said.

source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/