Obama Doesn’t Expect Additional Humanitarian Aid In Iraq

President Barack Obama speaks about the situations in Iraq and in Ferguson, Mo., Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, in Edgartown, Mass., during his family vacation on the island of Martha's Vineyard. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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President Obama announced on Thursday that he doesn’t expect the U.S. to continue humanitarian aid to the Iraqis trapped in the country’s Sinjar Mountains by ISIS.

“The situation on the mountain has greatly improved, and Americans should be very proud of our efforts,” he said during a press conference.

Obama said that the U.S. has been providing airdrops of food and water every night, and that Iraqis have been consistently evacuated from the region. He said that the aid has been getting to those in need.

The small team of Americans sent to Iraq has completed their assessment of the situation and should be leaving in the “coming days.”

The U.S. will likely not need to send more aid to the trapped Iraqis.

“We broke the ISIL siege,” Obama said. “We do not expect additional operations.”

Obama also addressed efforts in Iraq to form a new, more inclusive government.

“We are modestly hopeful that the Iraqi government situation is moving in the right direction,” he said.

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