U.S. Force On Mt. Sinjar: Rescue Of Yazidis, Christians ‘Less Likely’
Finally, some good news — if it can be called that — is coming out of the Mt. Sinjar region in Iraq, where thousands of Yazidis and Christians fleeing from ISIS have been surrounded and left to die. The situation there is far less grave than it originally appeared, MSN is reporting.
For over a week, thousands of Yazidis and Christians — groups the Islamist terrorist organization ISIS deem deserving of death for “apostasy” — have been hiding on Mr. Sinjar after fleeing ISIS. ISIS militants surrounded the mountain, leaving the refugees with the grim choice of either dying of thirst on top of the desert mountain or attempting to flee and risking capture, which would result in either enslavement or death (see this Inquisitr article).
A team of U.S. military personnel, accompanied by USAID, conducted an assessment of the situation on Mt. Sinjar. http://t.co/kbZNqty4Mg
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) August 14, 2014
According to CBS News, a U.S. team of humanitarian and military personnel landed on Mt. Sinjar, under cover of darkness, to assess the situation. There, they found fewer refugees than were previously thought to be there. As for the refugees still there, they are in much better condition than feared (see: ISIS: Iraqi Children Drinking Blood To Stay Alive On Mt. Sinjar – Inquisitr), thanks to humanitarian aid drops of food, water, and medical supplies.
Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby confirmed, via the New York Times, that the situation is more manageable than previously feared:
“The team has assessed that there are far fewer Yazidis on Mount Sinjar than previously feared, in part because of the success of the humanitarian airdrops.”
Thousands of the refugees have been able to successfully flee Mt. Sinjar, thanks largely to U.S. airstrikes against ISIS targets and efforts of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters to hold back ISIS, making it possible for the refugees to flee under cover of darkness.
According to The New York Times, some of the refugees told members of the U.S. team that they consider Mt. Sinjar home, and don’t want to leave.
What’s going to happen next is unclear. The U.S. has 130 troops in nearby Arbil, who can be deployed to assist in the situation. Some options on the table include creating a “safe corridor” to allow refugees to flee to safety, or to possibly use military helicopters to airlift the Yazidi and Christian refugees to safety. One option that is not on the table is further military intervention; U.S. president Barack Obama has strongly and repeatedly asserted that there will be no U.S. troops involved in combat operations against ISIS.
What should the U.S. do to help the Yazidi and Christian refugees on Mt. Sinjar? Should ground troops be deployed against ISIS? Let us know what you think in the comments.
[Image courtesy of: Daily Mail]
