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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| RAF planes to drop food aid in Iraq | RAF planes to drop food aid in Iraq |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| British forces are to drop food aid for Iraqi refugees under threat from militants, the defence secretary said. | British forces are to drop food aid for Iraqi refugees under threat from militants, the defence secretary said. |
| Michael Fallon said the UK's main focus was supporting the US in its planned air strikes on militants with surveillance and refuelling. | Michael Fallon said the UK's main focus was supporting the US in its planned air strikes on militants with surveillance and refuelling. |
| But there will also be food drops, targeting members of the Yazidi community trapped on a mountainside. | But there will also be food drops, targeting members of the Yazidi community trapped on a mountainside. |
| David Cameron welcomed US air strikes against the Islamic State militants but ruled out any UK military action. | David Cameron welcomed US air strikes against the Islamic State militants but ruled out any UK military action. |
| The prime minister said the world must help religious minorities in Iraq who are under threat from the militants "in their hour of desperate need". | The prime minister said the world must help religious minorities in Iraq who are under threat from the militants "in their hour of desperate need". |
| The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised Britons not to travel to those parts of Iraqi Kurdistan affected by fighting and to leave areas close to the conflict. | The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised Britons not to travel to those parts of Iraqi Kurdistan affected by fighting and to leave areas close to the conflict. |
| Yazidis threatened | Yazidis threatened |
| Islamic State (IS) militants have seized Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town, prompting members of the Yazidi religious community to flee. | Islamic State (IS) militants have seized Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town, prompting members of the Yazidi religious community to flee. |
| Officials have warned the Yazidis face starvation and dehydration if they remain stranded on Mount Sinjar, and slaughter at the hands of the militants if they move. | Officials have warned the Yazidis face starvation and dehydration if they remain stranded on Mount Sinjar, and slaughter at the hands of the militants if they move. |
| American troops have already made humanitarian air drops to Iraqis threatened by the IS, a Sunni Muslim group formerly known as Isis or Isil (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). | American troops have already made humanitarian air drops to Iraqis threatened by the IS, a Sunni Muslim group formerly known as Isis or Isil (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). |
| After chairing a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee on the situation in Iraq, Mr Fallon said: "We are offering aid of our own, which we hope to drop over the next couple of days, in support of the American relief effort, particularly to help the plight of those who are trapped on the mountain." | After chairing a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee on the situation in Iraq, Mr Fallon said: "We are offering aid of our own, which we hope to drop over the next couple of days, in support of the American relief effort, particularly to help the plight of those who are trapped on the mountain." |
| Asked why the UK was not intervening militarily, he added: "We welcome what America is doing in particular to bring humanitarian relief and to prevent any further suffering - but our focus is on assisting that humanitarian mission, using our military in support of the Americans in terms of refuelling and surveillance, and add to it with food drops with our own." | Asked why the UK was not intervening militarily, he added: "We welcome what America is doing in particular to bring humanitarian relief and to prevent any further suffering - but our focus is on assisting that humanitarian mission, using our military in support of the Americans in terms of refuelling and surveillance, and add to it with food drops with our own." |
| Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has urged the UK to welcome Christians and other religious minorities fleeing Iraq. | |
| He said: "What we are seeing in Iraq violates brutally people's right to freedom of religion and belief, as set out under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. | |
| "It is extremely important that aid efforts are supported and that those who have been displaced are able to find safety. | |
| "I believe that, like France, the United Kingdom's doors should be open to refugees, as they have been throughout history." | |
| 'Right to freedom' | |
| In an earlier statement, Mr Cameron said: "I welcome President Obama's decision to accept the Iraqi government's request for help and to conduct targeted US air strikes, if necessary, to help Iraqi forces as they fight back against Isil terrorists to free the civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar. | In an earlier statement, Mr Cameron said: "I welcome President Obama's decision to accept the Iraqi government's request for help and to conduct targeted US air strikes, if necessary, to help Iraqi forces as they fight back against Isil terrorists to free the civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar. |
| "And I fully agree with the president that we should stand up for the values we believe in - the right to freedom and dignity, whatever your religious beliefs." | "And I fully agree with the president that we should stand up for the values we believe in - the right to freedom and dignity, whatever your religious beliefs." |
| A Downing Street spokeswoman said the UK was "not planning a military intervention". | A Downing Street spokeswoman said the UK was "not planning a military intervention". |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Jonathan Marcus | By Jonathan Marcus |
| The UK is especially concerned at the developing humanitarian crisis in Iraq as religious minorities flee the advance of Islamic State forces. | The UK is especially concerned at the developing humanitarian crisis in Iraq as religious minorities flee the advance of Islamic State forces. |
| For now British military help may simply not be needed. It is the Americans who have been asked by the Iraqi government to intervene and Washington has more than enough capacity in the region if air strikes are required. | For now British military help may simply not be needed. It is the Americans who have been asked by the Iraqi government to intervene and Washington has more than enough capacity in the region if air strikes are required. |
| Britain, along with the Americans and others, is encouraging the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki to pursue more inclusive governing arrangements. | Britain, along with the Americans and others, is encouraging the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki to pursue more inclusive governing arrangements. |
| His behaviour is seen as partly responsible for many of Iraq's current problems, and its difficulties in confronting the Islamic State challenge. | His behaviour is seen as partly responsible for many of Iraq's current problems, and its difficulties in confronting the Islamic State challenge. |
| Mr Cameron added: "I have tasked officials to urgently establish what more we can do to provide help to those affected, including those in grave need of food, water and shelter in the Sinjar area." | Mr Cameron added: "I have tasked officials to urgently establish what more we can do to provide help to those affected, including those in grave need of food, water and shelter in the Sinjar area." |
| Labour's shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said President Obama was right to authorise limited air strikes - and he called on Mr Cameron to speak out about the plight of the Yazidi people. | Labour's shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said President Obama was right to authorise limited air strikes - and he called on Mr Cameron to speak out about the plight of the Yazidi people. |
| "The British government should be speaking up, speaking out, and acting quickly to ensure that the international community does not simply walk by on the other side as this persecution increases." | "The British government should be speaking up, speaking out, and acting quickly to ensure that the international community does not simply walk by on the other side as this persecution increases." |
| But he added that international action alone - though "vital to help prevent a brutal and horrific escalation" - would not solve the crisis in the long term and it would be up to Iraqis themselves to achieve political reconciliation and a strengthening of their security forces. | But he added that international action alone - though "vital to help prevent a brutal and horrific escalation" - would not solve the crisis in the long term and it would be up to Iraqis themselves to achieve political reconciliation and a strengthening of their security forces. |