IRBIL, Iraq
A cargo plane carrying relief for displaced families in Iraq’s Kurdish region has been welcomed by the United States consul general, aviation officials said.
The U.S. aircraft landed in Irbil on Tuesday carrying 60 tons of humanitarian aid, including 3,000 packets of food, six thousand gallons of water, 12,000 blankets and other supplies.
The American Consul General Joseph Pennington said the relief would be distributed to families sheltering in camps.
He said: “Thousands of people have been displaced within the country from January until today.”
Pennington added that the U.S. had provided $138 million worth of aid this year and would continue to support displaced Iraqis.
The chaos caused by the Islamic State’s incursion into Iraq has displaced an estimated 1.2 million from their homes, targeting minorities including Shiites, Turkmen, Ezidis and Christians.
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