UK steps up aid for Northern Iraq
The supplies dropped over Mount Sinjar last night included two C130 consignments with a total of:
- 2,640 reusable water purification containers filled with clean water (13,200 litres of water in total);
- 528 shelter kits to provide shade in temperatures of over 40°C.
There have now been a total of five successful air drops over three nights. The consignments of aid, provided by the Department for International Development, have been delivered to the area by the RAF using the Hercules C130 aircraft.
Above:
UK aid supplies about to be dropped to displaced people trapped on Mount Sinjar.
Picture: Cpl Neil Bryden RAF/MOD/Crown Copyright 2014
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: "As thousands of Iraqi people remain cut off away from their homes, we are focussed on getting help to those in need, particularly those trapped on Mount Sinjar.
"After last night the RAF have successfully made five drops, including thousands of containers filled with clean water that can also be used to purify dirty water and hundreds of shelter kits."
Justine Greening announced £8 million in new assistance for those displaced in Iraq on 8 August. This brings to £13 million the total committed by the UK in response to the crisis.
This includes:
- £2 million of emergency humanitarian supplies for 75,000 people, including aid that can be air dropped to help those trapped in the Sinjar Mountains as quickly as possible. Supplies will include reusable filtration containers filled with clean water, tarpaulins and basic shelter equipment, and solar lights that can also recharge mobile phones to enable communication;
- £3 million of fast-tracked funding that will go to charities and NGOs who are already on the ground and helping displaced people in northern Iraq. This will go via DFID’s Rapid Response Facility, which has now been activated to deal with the crisis;
- £2.5 million of support for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide immediate medical and humanitarian assistance; and
- a further £500,000 that will ensure Kurdish and UN systems are able to coordinate and respond to humanitarian needs in the region.
The Royal Air Force has also sent Tornado aircraft from RAF Marham to support humanitarian operations in Iraq if required.
Above:
A Tornado GR4 equipped with the Litening III pod taking off from RAF Marham.
Picture: Crown Copyright
A small number of aircraft, fitted with state-of-the-art Litening III reconnaissance pods, left Norfolk yesterday afternoon. They will be positioned in Cyprus, available to fly over the crisis area at short notice to provide vital intelligence to assist the delivery of the UK aid.
The humanitarian aid drops by RAF C130 aircraft, which took place early yesterday morning, included nearly 9,000 5-litre water bottles and 816 solar lanterns.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "Thousands of innocent people suffering in northern Iraq urgently need our help. Tornado aircraft will be able to play a specialist surveillance role to give us a more complete picture of the situation in the crisis area. I also want to express my gratitude to the aircrews and supporting personnel who have delivered three significant aid drops already and will continue to do so."
