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Iraq aid operation launched by UN refugee agency UNHCR Iraq crisis: UN launches new aid effort in north Iraq
(about 1 hour later)
The United Nations agency for refugees is launching a major aid operation to reach more than half a million people displaced by fighting in northern Iraq.The United Nations agency for refugees is launching a major aid operation to reach more than half a million people displaced by fighting in northern Iraq.
Supplies will be sent via airlift, road convoys and sea shipments through Turkey, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran.Supplies will be sent via airlift, road convoys and sea shipments through Turkey, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran.
A UN spokesman called it "a very, very significant aid push".A UN spokesman called it "a very, very significant aid push".
Militants from Islamic State (IS) have captured parts of northern Iraq and are fighting Iraqi and Kurdish forces.Militants from Islamic State (IS) have captured parts of northern Iraq and are fighting Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
The UN's World Food Programme says it has already served up more than a million meals to displaced people in the past two weeks alone.The UN's World Food Programme says it has already served up more than a million meals to displaced people in the past two weeks alone.
Tents and other goods will be included in the aid packages to be delivered to refugees to try and tackle the escalating humanitarian crisis.Tents and other goods will be included in the aid packages to be delivered to refugees to try and tackle the escalating humanitarian crisis.
The aid push comes as Western powers step up efforts to stem the advance of Islamic militants by supporting Kurdish and Iraqi government forces in northern Iraq. Over the weekend, the UN agency for children Unicef stepped up their aid efforts for minority Yazidi refugees in northern Iraq.
Unicef representative Marzio Babille told the BBC it was one of the largest humanitarian responses he had seen in 50 years.
In Dohuk, 80,000 refugees had arrived in only 10 days, fleeing from IS militants.
The aid push comes as Western powers step up efforts to stem the advance of IS by supporting Kurdish and Iraqi government forces in northern Iraq.
On Monday, US President Barack Obama said that the Mosul Dam in northern Iraq had been recaptured by Kurdish forces, a key gain against the militants who had earlier taken control of it.On Monday, US President Barack Obama said that the Mosul Dam in northern Iraq had been recaptured by Kurdish forces, a key gain against the militants who had earlier taken control of it.
Mr Obama said the US helped in the operation with air strikes targeting IS positions around the dam, Iraq's largest.
He said the move was a "major step forward", and the US had begun a long-term strategy to defeat the militants, including the building of a humanitarian "international coalition" in response to the crisis faced by refugees.
The statement followed Iraqi claims that the dam had been "fully cleansed", with IS saying it was still in control.
Recapturing the dam has been a key focus of the last few days as warnings came of catastrophic ramifications if the dam were to fail under IS militants who do not have the capabilities to carry out essential maintenance work on it.
According to US assessments the dam has the potential to cause severe flooding in Mosul, and possibly even affect areas as far south as Baghdad.
The BBC's Jim Muir, who is at the Mosul Dam complex, says that debris and wreckage surrounds the site following American air strikes, as well as the remains of explosives left behind by IS militants.
Hostilities are not completely over in the area however, and gunfire can still be heard nearby, our correspondent added.
US bombers, fighter jets and unmanned drones carried out a total of 25 air strikes over the weekend and 15 more on Monday to secure the dam, with Kurdish and Iraqi forces taking the lead on the ground offensive.