Iraqi and Kurdish Forces Break Amirli Siege

U.S. Conducted Airstrikes on Islamic State Positions 

The Iraqi and Kurdish security forces today broke Islamic State’s siege of Amirli, a mostly Turkmen town in northern Iraq. The militants had surrounded the town for nearly two months, where the residents had been cut off from food and water for nearly two months. Aircraft from Australia, France, and the UK joined the U.S. in dropping emergency humanitarian aid into the town. The U.S. military also conducted assortments of airstrikes on Islamic State positions around the town.

“Our forces entered Amirli and broke the siege,” said Iraqi military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassem Atta. (AFP, 31 August)

Photo credit: The United States Air Force parachute riggers assembling 40 container delivery system bundles of water for a humanitarian airdrop over the area of Amirli on Saturday. (U.S. Air Force Central Command – AFCENT)