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US planes drop aid and strike IS positions near Iraq's Amerli | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
US planes have made humanitarian aid drops to the besieged Iraqi town of Amerli, the Pentagon has said. | |
Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State (IS) militants for two months. | Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State (IS) militants for two months. |
The US also carried out air strikes on IS positions. The Iraqi army, Shia militias and Kurdish fighters have been struggling to break the siege. | |
Aircraft from the UK, Australia, France joined the US in the humanitarian aid drops, said Rear Admiral John Kirby. | |
The UN has expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS breaks through defences in the town, which lies in Kurdish-controlled Iraq. | The UN has expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS breaks through defences in the town, which lies in Kurdish-controlled Iraq. |
Earlier, the US launched new air strikes on IS near the key Mosul Dam. | |
In a statement, the US military said an armed vehicle, a fighting position and weapons were destroyed in the raid. | In a statement, the US military said an armed vehicle, a fighting position and weapons were destroyed in the raid. |
It said the strikes were in support of operations conducted by the Iraqi security forces near the strategic dam in the north of the country. | It said the strikes were in support of operations conducted by the Iraqi security forces near the strategic dam in the north of the country. |
IS has been accused of atrocities in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control. | IS has been accused of atrocities in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control. |
The Shia Turkmen are seen as apostates by the IS militants. | The Shia Turkmen are seen as apostates by the IS militants. |
'Booby-trapped' | 'Booby-trapped' |
The BBC's Jim Muir, in the city of Irbil, says the combined forces are mounting an assault on two fronts in the Salahuddin Kurdish area in northern Iraq. | The BBC's Jim Muir, in the city of Irbil, says the combined forces are mounting an assault on two fronts in the Salahuddin Kurdish area in northern Iraq. |
From the south, Iraqi government troops and allied Shia militias are trying to push into the Marin hill, which overlook the plain on which Amirli lies. | From the south, Iraqi government troops and allied Shia militias are trying to push into the Marin hill, which overlook the plain on which Amirli lies. |
With the help of air strikes by the Iraqi air force, they are reported to be making slow progress, with roads in the area heavily mined and booby-trapped by the Islamist militants. | With the help of air strikes by the Iraqi air force, they are reported to be making slow progress, with roads in the area heavily mined and booby-trapped by the Islamist militants. |
From further north, a combination of army forces, Shia militia and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters is reported to be trying to push down towards Amerli through a string of villages held by IS. | From further north, a combination of army forces, Shia militia and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters is reported to be trying to push down towards Amerli through a string of villages held by IS. |
In one village, Salam, local sources said Shia militias had taken control of half of the settlement - but the IS militants fought back and drove them out. | In one village, Salam, local sources said Shia militias had taken control of half of the settlement - but the IS militants fought back and drove them out. |
The impression at this stage is that rapid movement to break the siege is unlikely and that it may be a protracted affair, our correspondent says. | The impression at this stage is that rapid movement to break the siege is unlikely and that it may be a protracted affair, our correspondent says. |
The operation is reported to have two objectives: to break the siege of Amerli and to reopen the main highway leading north from Baghdad. | The operation is reported to have two objectives: to break the siege of Amerli and to reopen the main highway leading north from Baghdad. |
The road is currently blocked by IS. | The road is currently blocked by IS. |
'Sold for marriage' | 'Sold for marriage' |
Meanwhile, reports from Syria say that hundreds of Yazidi women, another Iraqi minority, have been sold and distributed as wives among militant fighters in Syria. | Meanwhile, reports from Syria say that hundreds of Yazidi women, another Iraqi minority, have been sold and distributed as wives among militant fighters in Syria. |
The women who were abducted during recent attacks by IS in Iraq are said to have been transported to Syria after being forced to convert to Islam. | The women who were abducted during recent attacks by IS in Iraq are said to have been transported to Syria after being forced to convert to Islam. |
At least 27 of them were sold to IS members for marriage, according to the UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. | At least 27 of them were sold to IS members for marriage, according to the UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. |