Humanitarian Airdrops, Strikes Against ISIL Continue in Iraq

Compiled from U.S. Central Command News Releases

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 10, 2014 – The U.S. military yesterday conducted a third airdrop of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq, and airstrikes against ISIL targets continued, U.S. Central Command officials said.

This airdrop was conducted from multiple air bases in Centcom’s area of responsibility, officials said, and included one C-17 and two C-130 cargo aircraft that together dropped a total of 72 bundles of supplies. U.S. fighter aircraft in the area supported the mission.

The C-17 dropped 40 container delivery system bundles of fresh drinking water totaling 3,804 gallons. In addition, the two C-130s dropped 32 bundles totaling 16,128 packaged meals.

To date, in coordination with the Iraqi government, U.S. military aircraft have delivered more than 52,000 meals and more than 10,600 gallons of fresh drinking water to the displaced Yezidis seeking refuge from ISIL on the mountain.

Meanwhile, U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq yesterday, conducting four airstrikes to defend Yezidi civilians being indiscriminately attacked by ISIL near Sinjar, Centcom officials said.

A mix of U.S. fighters and remotely piloted aircraft destroyed one of two ISIL armored personnel carriers firing on Yezidi civilians near Sinjar. After the strike, U.S. forces monitored movement of the second vehicle and subsequently located two ISIL armored personnel carriers and an armed truck nearby.

U.S. aircraft struck the vehicles, and all indications are that they were destroyed, officials said.

Later, U.S. aircraft located and struck another armored personnel carrier near Sinjar. This strike also apparently was successful, officials said.