This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28709530
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iraq: US air strike on Islamic State militants in Iraq | Iraq: US air strike on Islamic State militants in Iraq |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US says it has launched an air strike against militants from the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq. | The US says it has launched an air strike against militants from the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq. |
| The Pentagon said American aircraft attacked artillery that was being used against Kurdish forces defending the northern city of Irbil. | The Pentagon said American aircraft attacked artillery that was being used against Kurdish forces defending the northern city of Irbil. |
| President Barack Obama authorised air strikes on Thursday, but said he would not send US troops back to Iraq. | President Barack Obama authorised air strikes on Thursday, but said he would not send US troops back to Iraq. |
| The Sunni Muslim group IS, formerly known as Isis, now has control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria. | The Sunni Muslim group IS, formerly known as Isis, now has control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria. |
| In June, IS took control of the city of Mosul. Earlier this week, its fighters seized Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town. | |
| The advance of IS also forced tens of thousands of people from the Yazidi community - another minority group in northern Iraq - to leave their homes and seek shelter on a nearby mountain. | |
| Struggle for Iraq: In maps | Struggle for Iraq: In maps |
| According to the Pentagon statement, two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on mobile artillery near Irbil. | |
| Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said IS had been using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Irbil, where US personnel are based. | Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said IS had been using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Irbil, where US personnel are based. |
| The air strike is the first time the US has been directly involved in a military operation in Iraq since American troops withdrew in late 2011. | |
| 'Carefully and responsibly' | |
| Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Mr Obama said "America is coming to help" the people of Iraq. | |
| He said the US would act "carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide" against the Yazidi and Christian communities. | |
| At the same time, he announced that US military planes had already carried out air drops of food and water, at the request of the Iraqi government, to the many displaced Yazidis who are in need of supplies. | |
| Dr Marzio Babille, Unicef's representative in Iraq, said the Yazidis were in an extremely precarious situation because of the "very aggressive and brutal" IS militants. | Dr Marzio Babille, Unicef's representative in Iraq, said the Yazidis were in an extremely precarious situation because of the "very aggressive and brutal" IS militants. |
| He said there were many "logistical and strategic difficulties", but added that a humanitarian corridor needed to be established. | He said there were many "logistical and strategic difficulties", but added that a humanitarian corridor needed to be established. |
| Are you in northern Iraq? Has the recent violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |