Ten days after thousands — perhaps tens of thousands — of Yazidi civilians were first trapped on Mount Sinjar in remote northern Iraq, slowly dying without food or water and besieged by Islamic State (ISIS) militants, a reporter named Jonathan Rugman traveled with a helicopter rescue mission on Monday. The Iraqi military helicopter dropped emergency supplies on Sinjar and ferried off a few Yazidid, with Rugman, a foreign correspondent with the UK’s Channel 4, riding along. His tweets and photos from the scene (there is also a video at bottom) are just a glimpse at the Yazidi crisis, but even that shows how dire the situation has become for the many families still trapped on Mount Sinjar.
Heartbreaking photos from a rescue mission for the Yazidis trapped on Iraq’s Mount Sinjar
Unbelievable scenes on mt Sinjar. Saw small families trapped in middle of nowhere. Many of these people will die if not evacuated ASAP.
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 At one point I found myself dragging dehydrated children to the back of the helicopter for safety. Very distressing scenes.
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 My pic of Yazidis on mt Sinjar range waiting for food drop or helicopter rescue. Scenes like this for miles: pic.twitter.com/d6Pprc6Hf9
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Refugees mobbed our helicopter. One man was punched back. So desperate to get aboard after 10 days on mountain. pic.twitter.com/RVBNQ86SQg
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Desperate Yazidi refugees plucked from Mt Sinjar by Iraqi army helicopter: pic.twitter.com/x4eBY1oaKD
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Many refugees in tears after 10 days stranded on mt Sinjar with no food, water. 33 degree heat: pic.twitter.com/OHapYJVbKe
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 When our helicopter came under fire from IS the refugee crying started again. Children terrified by sound of machine gun fired in return.
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Mil helicopter dropping aid over Sinjar mountain came under anti aircraft fire from IS jihadists. We all back safe. pic.twitter.com/tTLBlR5pK8
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014 Here is everything you need to know about the Yazidis and how they came to be trapped on Mount Sinjar. This map below shows Sinjar in Iraq’s north, as well as ISIS-controlled territory and the Kurdish region, which the US is launching air strikes to defend.
Joss Fong
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