The US air force carried out precision bombings on Islamic State "terrorist" group positions in the town of al-Quire, some 45 km southeast of Nineveh's provincial capital Mosul, and in the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of Mosul, Halgurd Hikmat the Peshmerga spokesman told reporters.
Earlier in the day, the US air force has started airstrikes against positions of the Islamic State Sunni extremists in northern Iraq.
"US warplanes carried out first airstrikes on Friday on artillery positions belonging to the Islamic State organization in the areas under control by the extremist militant which are located near Arbil provincial border with Nineveh," a Kurdish security source anonymously told Xinhua without giving further details.
"US military aircraft conduct strike on ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant) artillery. Artillery was used against Kurdish forces defending Arbil, near US personnel," US Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby wrote on Twitter.
The air strikes came after artillery fire near US personnel, the Pentagon said Friday.
US President Barack Obama authorized on Thursday these air raids in a bid to protect Christians, and prevent "genocide" of tens of thousands of members of an ancient sect sheltering on a desert mountaintop from the so-called Islamic State militants threatening to exterminate them.
Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
9/8/14
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Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari praised the U.S. strikes on Islamic State artillery units in northern Iraq...
ReplyDeleteIraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has welcomed United States air strikes against Islamic State forces in northern Iraq.
Speaking in Erbil on Friday, he said: “The main purpose of these operations is for the hundreds of thousands displaced people to return to their homes and live in peace.”
The U.S. launched two waves of aerial attacks on Friday against IS militants.
Zebari said the U.S. air support would be limited and that the U.S. is the first country to support Iraqi forces militarily against IS forces.
The U.S. Air Force carried out airdrops of food and water to stranded civilians before President Barack Obama authorized the strikes.
Since Saturday, intensified fighting has taken place between the Sunni Islamist fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/370766--iraq-praises-us-air-strikes
9/8/14
Statement by the President on Iraq.(The White House)...
ReplyDeleteTHE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Over the past two days, American pilots and crews have served with courage and skill in the skies over Iraq.
First, American forces have conducted targeted airstrikes against terrorist forces outside the city of Erbil to prevent them from advancing on the city and to protect our American diplomats and military personnel. So far, these strikes have successfully destroyed arms and equipment that ISIL terrorists could have used against Erbil. Meanwhile, Kurdish forces on the ground continue to defend the city, and the United States and the Iraqi government have stepped up our military assistance to Kurdish forces as they wage their fight.
Second, our humanitarian effort continues to help the men, women and children stranded on Mount Sinjar. American forces have so far conducted two successful airdrops -- delivering thousands of meals and gallons of water to these desperate men, women and children. And American aircraft are positioned to strike ISIL terrorists around the mountain to help forces in Iraq break the siege and rescue those who are trapped there.
Now, even as we deal with these immediate situations, we continue to pursue a broader strategy in Iraq. We will protect our American citizens in Iraq, whether they’re diplomats, civilians or military. If these terrorists threaten our facilities or our personnel, we will take action to protect our people.
We will continue to provide military assistance and advice to the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces as they battle these terrorists, so that the terrorists cannot establish a permanent safe haven.....................http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/09/statement-president-iraq
9/8/14