10 August 2014 Last updated at 08:20 GMT
Iraq conflict: US in new air strikes on militants
The latest US strikes have targeted Islamist militants terrorising members
of the Yazidi religious minority, as Alpa Patel reports
of the Yazidi religious minority, as Alpa Patel reports
The US military says it has carried out a third round of air strikes
on Sunni Muslim militants to defend civilians in northern Iraq.
on Sunni Muslim militants to defend civilians in northern Iraq.
It said jet fighters and drones had destroyed armoured vehicles that were
firing on members of the Yazidi sect trapped by jihadists on Mount Sinjar.
firing on members of the Yazidi sect trapped by jihadists on Mount Sinjar.
The US authorised the strikes last week to halt the lightning advance of
Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.
Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.
France's foreign minister has arrived in Iraq to discuss the crisis.
Laurent Fabius, who landed in the capital Baghdad on Sunday morning,
will also oversee the first delivery of French aid for displaced people in the
Sinjar region.
will also oversee the first delivery of French aid for displaced people in the
Sinjar region.
He is due to later travel to the Kurdish city of Irbil, which is being threatened
by the jihadists.
by the jihadists.
Meanwhile, a British military aircraft has made its first airdrop of
humanitarian aid in northern Iraq, confirms the UK Ministry of Defence.
humanitarian aid in northern Iraq, confirms the UK Ministry of Defence.
IS (formerly known as Isis) has taken control of large swathes of Iraq and
Syria in recent months, declaring a "caliphate", or Islamic state, in the region.
Syria in recent months, declaring a "caliphate", or Islamic state, in the region.
Britain delivered its first humanitarian aid to the civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar on Sunday
'Indiscriminately attacked'
A US military statement said Sunday's raids had been aimed at defending
members of the Yazidi religious group who were being "indiscriminately
attacked" by IS militants near Sinjar.
members of the Yazidi religious group who were being "indiscriminately
attacked" by IS militants near Sinjar.
IS overran the town of Sinjar last week, prompting thousands of Yazidis to
flee.
flee.
The Pentagon also said a third US air-drop of food and water had been
made on Saturday night to refugees on Mount Sinjar.
made on Saturday night to refugees on Mount Sinjar.
The UN children's agency, Unicef, warned that at least 56 Yazidi children
had died of dehydration in the mountains around Sinjar.
had died of dehydration in the mountains around Sinjar.
Displaced members of the Yazidi community seek shelter at a camp near the Iraq-Syria border
UK officials estimated on Saturday that between 50,000 and 150,000
people could be trapped there.
people could be trapped there.
A Syrian official told AP news agency that more than 20,000 starving
Yazidis had fled across the border.
Yazidis had fled across the border.
He said columns of refugees were running a gauntlet of gunfire through
a tenuous "safe passage" being defended by forces of Iraq's
autonomous Kurdistan Region.
a tenuous "safe passage" being defended by forces of Iraq's
autonomous Kurdistan Region.
Amnesty International adviser Donatella Rovera told the BBC that
thousands of those trapped on the north side of the mountains had
managed to escape, but added: "The most acute situation is for those
on the southern side. They cannot get to the safe passage that has
been opened."
thousands of those trapped on the north side of the mountains had
managed to escape, but added: "The most acute situation is for those
on the southern side. They cannot get to the safe passage that has
been opened."
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