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muriel_volestrangler

(101,321 posts)
Sun Aug 31, 2014, 07:55 AM Aug 2014

Iraqi forces 'reach besieged Amerli'

Source: BBC

Iraqi forces have reached the besieged town of Amerli in northern Iraq, where thousands have been trapped by jihadists, military officials say.

The apparent breakthrough comes after the US carried out air strikes overnight on Islamic State (IS) positions near the town.
...
No-one here seems to be in any doubt that the combination of forces backed up by Iraqi government air power has in fact broken the siege.
...
However, what we're told from recent figures is that the number of civilians there is much fewer than thought. We were told 15-16,000, but now perhaps 2,500 remain. Many of those are now fighters, having taken up arms.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29003321

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