Chinooks to Join the Humanitarian Efforts in Iraq

International Development Secretary Justine Greening confirmed that a third round of successful UK air drops took place last night. The supplies included two C130 consignments containing 2,640 reusable water purification containers filled with clean water.

More than 500 shelter kits to provide shade in temperatures of more than 40C (104F) were also inside the packages. There have now been five successful drops over three nights.

Meanwhile, another 130 US troops have arrived in Iraq on what the Pentagon described as a temporary mission to assess the scope of the humanitarian crisis facing thousands of displaced civilians trapped on Sinjar.

As well as the aid drops, the UK is sending a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters to the mountain to increase the options available as efforts continued to ease the plight of the tens of thousands of Yazidis trapped there. Britain has also committed to transport military equipment to resupply Kurdish forces which have been outgunned by IS.