Australia suspends airstrikes in Syria as precaution

Australia suspended its air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, following the downing of the Syrian aircraft and Russia's subsequent threat against US-led coalition aircraft.

Russia said on Monday it would treat US-led coalition aircraft that fly west of the Euphrates River in Syria as potential targets, tracking them with missile systems and military aircraft, but stopped short of saying it would shoot them down.

Australia's department of Defense said in a statement that the decision was made as a precautionary measure. The country is part of an international military coalition combating ISIL in Syria and Iraq. Its Royal Air force launched their first strikes on ISIL targets in Syria in September 2015.