• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Iraqi Forces Break Siege of Northern Town

August 31, 2014

by VOA News

Iraqi officials say their forces broke through Sunday to the jihadist-besieged northern town of Amerli, where thousands of people have been trapped for over two months with dwindling food, water and medical supplies.

The U.S. Defense Department says the United States conducted airstrikes Saturday against the Islamic State militants around Amerli and dropped humanitarian aid to those trapped in the town.

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement the U.S. Air Force delivered the aid alongside aircraft from Australia, France and Britain.

Kirby said the U.S. military conducted coordinated airstrikes against nearby Islamic State terrorists to support the humanitarian assistance operation.

Australia joins effort

Australia said it is joining the international effort to supply weapons to the Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State militants.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Sunday the situation in Iraq is a "humanitarian catastrophe." He said Australia will continue to work with international partners to "address the security threat" posed by the militants.

Germany's domestic intelligence chief said Sunday young Muslims are attracted to the Islamic fighters in Iraq and Syria because of the group's brutality, radicalism and rigor. Hans-Georg Maassen told Deutschlandfunk radio at least 400 Germans have joined the Islamic fighters and there is evidence at least five have carried out suicide attacks for the insurgents.

Sunday the German government is to decide whether to send military aid to the Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State forces in Iraq.

NATO to consider situation

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington will use an upcoming NATO summit to push for a coalition of countries to fight the Sunni extremists.

Kerry, writing in the New York Times, called the Islamic State militancy a "cancer," and he vowed "it will not be allowed to spread to other countries."

Separately, in comments published early Saturday, Saudi King Abdullah warned that Islamic State extremists could target Europe and the United States, if the West fails to agree on a strong response to the militancy. Official Saudi media quoted the king as saying the "terrorists do not know the name of humanity, and you have witnessed them severing heads and giving them to children to walk with in the street."

Public outrage over the beheading of an American journalist and several mass executions claimed by militants in nearby Syria has led U.S. President Barack Obama to consider strikes on militant targets in eastern Syria.

Kerry said he and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will seek support at the September 5 NATO summit in Wales for "the broadest possible assistance" in acting against the militancy. The two Americans then will visit Middle East capitals to solidify support from countries directly threatened by the extremist movement.

Some information for this report comes from AP, AFP and Reuters.