Air drops of humanitarian supplies for Yazidis continue on Mount Sinjar

World Today

Over the past four nights, U.S. and UK aircrews have flown 14 successful missions airdropping more than 310 bundles of food, water and medical supplies to stranded Yazidis in Iraq.

British planes aborted two drops on Sunday night because there were simply too many people on the ground to safely drop supplies.

Reliable numbers are difficult to come by but Iraqi officials say Kurdish Peshmerga fighters managed to rescue some 20,000 members of the Yazidi religious minority trapped on the mountain, but that at least 500 Yazidis have been killed by militants.

U.S. airstrikes continue to target Islamic State fighters, also known as ISIL, near Sinjar and the Kurdish capital of Irbil. The Pentagon says the Kurds need more long-range weapons capable of taking out vehicles and artillery pieces.

In the background of the crisis across Iraq’s north is the political crisis in Baghdad. On Monday, the Parliament’s largest voting block nominated a new Prime Minister Haider al Abadi.

Air drops of humanitarian supplies continue on Mount Sinjar

Over the last 4 nights U.S. and UK aircrews have flown 14 successful missions airdropping more than 310 bundles of food, water and medical supplies.

Kyle Olson joins the show. He is president of a homeland security consulting group, and a leading authority on terrorism.

 

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Kyle Olson joins the show. He is president of a homeland security consulting group, and a leading authority on terrorism.