Supplies To Be Dropped from US Plane for Iraqi Civilians
The ISIS or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has occupied Qaraqosh, a city that was often viewed as the "Christian capital" of Iraq. Thousands of Iraqi Christians along with other ethnic and religious minorities were forced to leave Qaraqosh and other villages and towns in the Nineveh plain and are now seeking refuge in mountains or other Kurdish territories of Erbil and Duhok.
The only protection that is provided for many of these villages is Kerdish Peshmerga forces who told the Assyria International News Agency (AINA) that even about to withdraw from the area, because they are overwhelmed by the immense fire power and weaponry of the heavily armed Jihadists. Around 200,000 refugees are believed to have abandoned their homes and have crossed the Nineveh plains to find safer areas to stay.
Kurdish forces began the evacuation of Qaraqosh at 2:30 am on the 8th of August. They had announced to the residents that they will be withdrawing from the town. Church bells were tolled in order to alert the villagers of the seriousness of the situation. Other, at least 8 other Christian towns and villages were deserted in the same manner, along with around 7 Yazidi villages and 15 other Shabak villages.
For even those who managed to escape the Jihadists' occupation of their homes, many are still endangered by the harsh conditions of the Middle East, and it is believed 100 lives were lost while on the run. Thousands of refugees are trapped on mountain tops and surrounded by ISIS forces who threatened they will kill anyone who tries to escape. The U.S. has so far succeeded in dropping supplies from the air for the trapped civilians and the military has carried out an airstrike against the ISIS. This was the first time an operation was undertaken in Iraq since the invasion against Iraq in 2003.
Political and religious leaders from all over the region and the world have called for humanitarian and diplomatic assistance for Iraq. Pope Francis has announced his plan to dispatch a Cardinal to Iraq to show his support for the persecuted Christians there, and the American administration has already undertaken several airstrikes against the ISIS.
The Obama administration however, announced that there is a limit as to how much the U.S. can intervene in this humanitarian crisis. The airstrikes and other activities were more for the protection of American military and diplomatic personnel and to prevent further genocide. Many believe that the issue will not be resolved through simple military intervention of the United States, and the administration made it clear that the U.S. is not willing to fight another full-scale war in Iraq.
