The government is to provide emergency assistance to the Yazidis and other displaced persons in distress in northern Iraq. With help from Australia, aid supplies will be airdropped in the Sinjar mountains, where thousands of families have taken refuge from IS (ISIS) persecution. ‘Anyone who has read the reports and seen the images knows the situation is simply tragic. The people are trapped. More help is needed,’ said Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in northern Iraq, with large numbers of innocent people, including many children, at risk of dying of hunger or thirst or as a result of violence. The Netherlands is providing extra food, water and blankets to the Yazidis and other displaced persons, as well as parachutes to airdrop the supplies. The airdrops will be carried out by the Royal Australian Air Force.
The aid supplies will cost around €1 million. They will be loaded on to a KDC-10 transport aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and flown to the United Arab Emirates, where they will be transferred to Australian aircraft, which will drop them over the Sinjar mountains. ‘The armed forces are on standby 24/7, and it is good that we can make a difference together with our esteemed Australian colleagues,’ said Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
The Netherlands has coordinated its contribution with international partners to ensure that it will help alleviate the most immediate distress. This is the second time in a week that the government is taking action to help the people of northern Iraq. Last weekend €400,000 was made available to the Red Cross for emergency aid.