What happened in Iraq over the weekend
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Version 0 of 1. Iraq has a new prime minister. Iraq's president has named deputy parliament speaker Haider al-Abadi as Nouri al-Maliki's replacement. Maliki, who served as head of the government for eight years, has resisted giving up his seat despite losing U.S. support. The United States launched airstrikes Friday and continued its air campaign through the weekend. The military targeted key Islamic State positions over three days. The attacks helped Kurdish forces gain some momentum after they lost the Mosul dam and areas that were sanctuaries for Iraqi Christians. Yazidis are fleeing the mountain that many had been stranded on for days after their cities and towns were seized by Sunni militants. The U.S. airstrikes reportedly allowed many members of the religious minority to flee. Thousands are still trapped on the mountain, "either because they are surrounded in their villages by militants with the Islamic State or are simply too weak to walk." Exodus. Yazidis flee the mountain where they were trapped by ISIS for a week. Many credit US strikes. pic.twitter.com/9wQzvS6ad1 — Liz Sly (@LizSly) August 10, 2014 Exodus. Yazidis flee the mountain where they were trapped by ISIS for a week. Many credit US strikes. pic.twitter.com/9wQzvS6ad1 — Liz Sly (@LizSly) August 10, 2014 My pic of Yazidis on mt Sinjar range waiting for food drop or helicopter rescue. Scenes like this for miles: pic.twitter.com/d6Pprc6Hf9 — Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 My pic of Yazidis on mt Sinjar range waiting for food drop or helicopter rescue. Scenes like this for miles: pic.twitter.com/d6Pprc6Hf9 — Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Many refugees in tears after 10 days stranded on mt Sinjar with no food, water. 33 degree heat: pic.twitter.com/OHapYJVbKe — Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Many refugees in tears after 10 days stranded on mt Sinjar with no food, water. 33 degree heat: pic.twitter.com/OHapYJVbKe — Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Kurdish forces were able to take back two towns from Sunni militants. The towns of Gweir and Makhmur were recaptured as the United States assisted the forces with airstrikes. 19 yr old Zamor Amin & his father Osman, who runs a car wash in Sweden, came to Kurdistan this week to fight ISIS pic.twitter.com/kdMFtZssCH — Ivan Watson (@IvanCNN) August 10, 2014 19 yr old Zamor Amin & his father Osman, who runs a car wash in Sweden, came to Kurdistan this week to fight ISIS pic.twitter.com/kdMFtZssCH — Ivan Watson (@IvanCNN) August 10, 2014
Related: Yazidis cross into Iraqi Kurdistan from Syria View Photo Gallery —After being stranded on the parched Mount Sinjar for almost a week and then walking 12 miles to seek refuge in Syria, some of the persecuted civilians were able to safely return to the Kurdish region of Iraq with the help of Syrian Kurdish forces. |