A review by U.S. special operations troops of conditions on Iraq's Mount Sinjar on Wednesday has determined that the conditions of a religious minority seeking refuge there are better than believed and may not require a U.S.-led evacuation, the Pentagon said.
The team of fewer than 20 U.S. troops "has assessed that there are far fewer Yazidis on Mount Sinjar than previously feared, in part because of the success of humanitarian airdrops, airstrikes on (Islamic State) targets, the efforts of the peshmerga (Kurdish fighters) and the ability of thousands of Yazidis to evacuate from the mountain each night over the last several days," said Rear Adm. John Kirby, spokesman for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
"The Yazidis who remain are in better condition than previously believed and continue to have access to the food and water that we have dropped," Kirby said. "Based on this assessment the interagency has determined that an evacuation mission is far less likely. Additionally, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance as needed and will protect U.S. personnel and facilities."
The U.S. troops had traveled by air to Mount Sinjar and then returned safely to the Iraqi city of Irbil by military aircraft, Kirby said.
Earlier Wednesday, National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes said the troops and other military advisers were on the mountain to "make recommendations about how to follow through on an effort to get the people off that mountain and into a safe place,"Read the rest of the story HERE and view a related video Below:
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