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U.S. airdrops water, food to Yazidis in Iraq

The United States drops aid to assist Yazidis hiding on Sinjar Mountain in Iraq.

By Danielle Haynes
Iraqi Christian children forced to flee their home, shelter in the St. Joseph Church in Erbil, northern Iraq, August 9, 2014. Fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) have continued to make military gains in Iraq, leading to an exodus of thousands of people from various religious groups in the areas now under ISIS control toward the mainly Kurdish north of Iraq and prompting US President Barack Obama to order airstrikes to assist Iraqi forces fighting against ISIS. UPI/Mohammed al Jumaily
1 of 14 | Iraqi Christian children forced to flee their home, shelter in the St. Joseph Church in Erbil, northern Iraq, August 9, 2014. Fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) have continued to make military gains in Iraq, leading to an exodus of thousands of people from various religious groups in the areas now under ISIS control toward the mainly Kurdish north of Iraq and prompting US President Barack Obama to order airstrikes to assist Iraqi forces fighting against ISIS. UPI/Mohammed al Jumaily | License Photo

ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The United States carried out a round of humanitarian aid airdrops Saturday, supply fresh drinking water and ready-to-eat meals to minority Yazidis refugees hiding on Sinjar Mountain in Iraq.

The U.S. military said it dropped some 3,804 gallons of fresh drinking water and 16,128 ready-to-eat meals to tens of thousands of Yazidis, who are being targeted by militants in the Islamic State, formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

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Marizio Babille of UNICEF told CNN between 100 and 150 people per day were being airlifted by Iraqi security forces off the mountain.

"We are running out of time for thousands who can obviously not be reached by these airdrops," he said.

UNICEF estimates some 40,000 people are in hiding on the mountain, dozens of whom have died of extreme temperatures, and lack of food and water.

Britain and France have committed to assisting the United States in humanitarian airdrops.

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