Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has declined to name the head of Islamic State during an interview with the ABC, citing “operational matters”.

The US has placed a $10 million bounty on the head of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, also known as Abu Du’a, calling him “the senior leader” of ISIL and a “specially designated global terrorist”.

During an interview with 7.30‘s Leigh Sales which coincided with the announcement that Australia was sending another 330 troops to help Iraqi forces battling ISIL, Mr Andrews was asked if he could name the terrorist group’s leader.

• Yemen civil war ‘opens door to Al Qaida’
• Leftists take hostage in Istanbul court
• Islamic State invades Star Wars planet Tatooine

“At the start of the war on terror back after 9/11, the military campaign was heavily focused on the leadership of Al Qaeda and it remained so for a long time. When it comes to ISIL who is the top leader and what sort of focus is there on his capture?” Ms Sales asked.

Read part of the transcript of the interview by clicking on the owl  

Mr Andrews later tweeted that: “Focusing on individuals ignores the threat that extremist organisations present. We remain firm in our resolve to defeat Dae’sh.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said 330 Australian troops would leave for Iraq on Wednesday, as part of a deployment which was first flagged six weeks ago.

Mr Abbott said the troops would be embarking on a two-year mission, with most put to work training Iraqi soldiers.

Australia joined the international effort to defeat ISIL militants in September, with a contribution of six F/A18 fighter jets, a surveillance aircraft, a refueller, 200 special forces soldiers, and 400 military support staff to the US-led mission.

Mr Abbott said while the international military coalition had been effective, “large swathes” of Iraq still remain under ISIL control.

“Our build partner capacity mission is all about trying to ensure that the legitimate government of Iraq has a trained and disciplined and capable force that understands the rules of armed conflict at its disposal to retake … the territory which is currently under the control of the death cult [Islamic State],” he said.

Mr Abbott said the deployment would be reviewed in 12 months.

When the increased troop deployment was foreshadowed in March, Mr Abbott rejected criticism it represented “mission creep”, saying instead it was the “successful execution of the original mission”.

-ABC