Airstrikes and aid provide relief for Iraqi town

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says aircraft from the United States, Australia, France and Britain have dropped food and water to the beleaguered Iraqi town of Amirli (A’-mur-lee), which has been under siege by Islamic State militants for nearly two months.

U.S. airstrikes supported the humanitarian mission.

Thousands of Shiite Turkmen have been stranded in the farming community about 105 miles north of Baghdad.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby says the aid came at the request of the Iraqi government and military operations will be limited in scope and duration.

U.S. airstrikes in Iraq have targeted Islamic State militants attacking Yazidi Iraqis on Mount Sinjar and militant forces operating in the vicinity of Ibril and Mosul Dam.

Earlier Saturday, U.S. Central Command said five more airstrikes had taken place against Islamic State militants near Mosul Dam. Those attacks, carried out by fighter aircraft and unmanned drones, brought to 115 the total number of airstrikes across Iraq since Aug. 8.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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