U.S. Provides Aid to Yezidis, Strikes ISIL Mortar Position

Compiled from U.S. Central Command News Releases

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 13, 2014 – The U.S. military conducted a sixth airdrop last night of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar, Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said.

This airdrop was conducted from multiple air bases in the Centcom area of responsibility and included two C-17 and two C-130 cargo aircraft that together dropped a total of 108 bundles of supplies. U.S. fighter aircraft in the area supported the mission, officials said.

The C-17s dropped 80 container delivery system bundles of fresh drinking water totaling 7,608 gallons. The C-130s dropped 28 bundles totaling 14,112 packaged meals.

To date, in coordination with the Iraqi government, U.S. military aircraft have delivered nearly 100,000 meals and more than 27,000 gallons of fresh drinking water, providing much-needed aid to the displaced Yezidis, who fled to the mountain to escape ISIL terrorists.

Also yesterday, U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists. A remotely piloted aircraft struck and destroyed an ISIL mortar position that was firing on Kurdish forces defending Yezidi civilians north of Sinjar who were attempting to evacuate.