"The US and Britain are stepping back from launching a risky military mission to rescue thousands of Iraqis stranded on Mount Sinjar after claiming that special forces on the ground found their condition was better than expected.
"Declaring that the US bombing has succeeded in beating back forces from the Islamic State (Isis), the Pentagon said the planned rescue mission had been ruled out for the moment.
"A small complement of special forces and US aid workers landed on Mount Sinjar to assess the situation of the Iraqi Yazidis – who for days have received air drops of food, water and medicine.
"Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said late on Wednesday: "An evacuation mission is far less likely."
"The decision to call off the rescue mission came as the White House declared the mission to target Isis positions in the area with four air strikes since Saturday a success. "The president's decisive decisions in the immediate wake of the crisis kept people alive and broke the siege of the mountain," a White House official said."
"Declaring that the US bombing has succeeded in beating back forces from the Islamic State (Isis), the Pentagon said the planned rescue mission had been ruled out for the moment.
"A small complement of special forces and US aid workers landed on Mount Sinjar to assess the situation of the Iraqi Yazidis – who for days have received air drops of food, water and medicine.
"Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said late on Wednesday: "An evacuation mission is far less likely."
"The decision to call off the rescue mission came as the White House declared the mission to target Isis positions in the area with four air strikes since Saturday a success. "The president's decisive decisions in the immediate wake of the crisis kept people alive and broke the siege of the mountain," a White House official said."
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