Anzac's revival to target IS terrorists Syrian government forces launch a volley of air strikes on the city of Raqqa which is under the control of Islamic State militants, killing at least seven civilians. A CENTURY after the Anzac legend was forged on the battlefields of World War I, an Australian and New Zealand-led joint military taskforce could be sent into Iraq to help local ­forces battling the terror armies of Islamic State. The Daily Telegraph has confirmed that defence officials have been in discussions with NZ counterparts for the revival of a combined Anzac force in anticipation of a ­formal request by the US for additional forces in the region. A decision by the National Security Committee is expected before Christmas, but ­deployment would be unlikely until early next year - 100 years after the Anzac landing at Gallipoli. The move to boost Australian military efforts in Iraq to defeat IS comes as the group issued a new threat to Australia. The latest IS propaganda sheet Dabiq 5 has repeated calls for attacks on Australian soil after claiming credit for ­directing the stabbing attack of two police officers in Melbourne in September. But intelligence and security agencies were also "deeply concerned" about the group's claim it would soon be in a position to declare a caliphate - a political-religious Islamic State - in parts of Indonesia, which authorities fear could bring the threat of more ­attacks closer to home. It is believed Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NZ Prime Minister John Key have had private discussions to explore the possibility of an Anzac taskforce consisting of several hundred troops. It is estimated that a further 400 Australian specialist soldiers could be sent, along with an as-yet-unknown number of New Zealand troops. The latest IS propaganda sheet Dabiq 5 has repeated calls for attacks on Australian soil. However, the New Zealand government is yet to make a decision about whether it would be part of such an ­expedition, with political domestic sensitivies to any military involvement in the united campaign against IS. The discussions were in a "sensitive" stage, according to an intelligence source, and NZ had yet to confirm its involvement. The plan to ramp up the ­existing training and assistance to struggling Iraqi security ­forces has yet to be signed off by the National Security ­Committee. But government sources confirmed that contingency plans had been drawn up to respond to an expected ­formal request from the US and Iraqi governments. The preferred option is for a combined Australia/New Zealand taskforce, senior intelligence sources said. The first wave of 200 ­Australians tasked with an "advise and assist" role for the Iraqi army moved into Baghdad in November. The second potential deployment is thought to have a more specialised role, including building training camps for Iraqi special forces and even disrupting IS oil production facilities to starve the terrorists of funds. US President Barack Obama had confirmed in Beijing two weeks ago that he wanted greater involvement from Australia. The US President has been criticised in the past for a response to the terrorist threat that had been described as slow and poorly planned. Mr Abbott has not ruled out sending in more troops, in addition to the 200 special forces and the RAAF unit which has been flying daily bombing and reconnaissance missions against IS since it became active in October. France, also involved in the US-led air strikes in Iraq, has deployed three of its Mirage warplanes in Jordan to also help in the fight against the terror army. Army spokesman Colonel Mamduh al-Amiri announced the arrival of the aircraft late Friday, with three more fighter jets expected later on in Jordan, a neighbour of both Syria and Iraq where Islamic State is has made major advances. Originally published as Anzac's revival to target Islamic State