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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iraq crisis: No quick fix, Barack Obama warns | Iraq crisis: No quick fix, Barack Obama warns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has warned it is "going to take some time" to help Iraqis overcome the jihadist-led Sunni rebellion and stabilise their country. | US President Barack Obama has warned it is "going to take some time" to help Iraqis overcome the jihadist-led Sunni rebellion and stabilise their country. |
| It would be a "long-term project" to revamp and resupply the military and build support among Sunnis, he said. | It would be a "long-term project" to revamp and resupply the military and build support among Sunnis, he said. |
| Mr Obama stressed that progress would depend on Iraqis coming together and forming an inclusive government. | Mr Obama stressed that progress would depend on Iraqis coming together and forming an inclusive government. |
| The Islamic State (IS), formerly known as Isis, has seized swathes of northern and western Iraq in recent months. | The Islamic State (IS), formerly known as Isis, has seized swathes of northern and western Iraq in recent months. |
| Mr Obama said air strikes on Friday - the first time US forces have been directly involved in a military operation in Iraq since they withdrew from the country in late 2011 - had destroyed IS arms and equipment. | Mr Obama said air strikes on Friday - the first time US forces have been directly involved in a military operation in Iraq since they withdrew from the country in late 2011 - had destroyed IS arms and equipment. |
| They had also prevented attacks by the al-Qaeda breakaway on thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority group stranded on a mountain in the north-west, the president added. | They had also prevented attacks by the al-Qaeda breakaway on thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority group stranded on a mountain in the north-west, the president added. |
| The Yazidis fled to Mount Sinjar a week ago after IS fighters overran a nearby town where many had been sheltering over the past two months. | The Yazidis fled to Mount Sinjar a week ago after IS fighters overran a nearby town where many had been sheltering over the past two months. |
| Earlier, the UK said it had sent a cargo plane to help with the relief operation that has seen US aircraft drop thousands of bottles of water and ration packs in the area over the past two days. | Earlier, the UK said it had sent a cargo plane to help with the relief operation that has seen US aircraft drop thousands of bottles of water and ration packs in the area over the past two days. |
| Mr Obama said the next step was to help Iraqi government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces rescue the Yazidis, but that it was not yet clear how a "safe corridor" could be created to allow them to escape. | |
| "Moving them is not simple in this security environment," he added. |