Iraq breaks jihadist town siege
Forces enter Shia town of Amerli; US, UK, France, Australia drop aid supplies ISIS beheads Lebanese captive
Baghdad, Aug. 31: Iraqi forces broke through to the jihadist- besieged Shia town of Amerli Sunday, where thousands of people have been trapped for more than two months with dwindling food and water supplies.
It is the biggest offensive success for the Iraqi government since militants led by the Sunni Islamic State jihadist group, formerly known as ISIS, overran large areas of five provinces in June, sweeping security forces aside.
The breakthrough came as America carried out limited strikes outside north Iraq for the first time since its air campaign against militants began more than three weeks ago, and aircraft from several countries dropped humanitarian aid to Amerli.
The mainly Shia Turkmen residents of the town in Salaheddin province were running desperately short of food and water, and were in danger both because of their Shia faith, which jihadists consider heresy, and their resistance to the militants, which has drawn harsh retribution elsewhere. “Our forces entered Amerli and broke the siege,” Iraqi security spokesman Lieutenant General Qassem Atta told AFP, an account confirmed by a local official and a fighter from the town.
“It is a very important success,” General Atta later said on state television, adding that there was still fighting in the area.
The operation was launched on Saturday after days of preparations in which Iraqi security forces, Shia militiamen and Kurdish fighters deployed for the assault and Iraqi aircraft carried out strikes against militants. The US announced hat it carried out three airstrikes in the Amerli area, expanding its air campaign outside the far north for the first time,
The mainly Shia Turkmen residents of the town in Salahedd in province were running desperately short of food and water
while Australian, British, French and US aircraft dropped relief supplies for the town. “At the request of the government of Iraq, the United States military today airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amerli,” said Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby. “The United States Air Force delivered this aid alongside aircraft from Australia, France and the United Kingdom, who also dropped much needed supplies.” The aid drops came alongside “coordinated air strikes against nearby ( ISIS) terrorists in order to support this humanitarian assistance operation,” he added. “The operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to address this emerging humanitarian crisis and protect the civilians trapped in Amerli,” Admiral Kirby said.
US Central Command said the US supplies dropped included around 47,775 litres ( 10,500 gallons) of drinking water and 7,000 pre- packaged meals.
ISIS militants beheaded a Lebanese soldier who was one of 19 captured by hardline Syrian Islamists when they seized a Lebanese border town for a few days in August, a video posted on social media showed on Saturday. The soldier, recognisable as Ali alSayyed, a Sunni Muslim from north Lebanon, was shown blind- folded with his hands tied behind his back, writhing and kicking the dusty ground while a militant announces he will be killed. Another militant then beheads him.