Britons Told To Leave Kurdish Capital Irbil

Britons have been warned to leave Irbil, the capital of Kurdish Iraq, as Islamist fighters advance towards the city.

The move comes as UK Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon said that Britain was offering help to the Americans in their efforts to provide humanitarian support to people trapped by the advance.

About 50,000 members of the Yezidi community, including many women and children, have been left trapped on Mount Sinjar in north-west Iraq having been driven into the mountains following threats from ISIS fighters in the area.

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, have moved across northern Iraq and are also said to be threatening Kurdish territory.

The Foreign Office has advised Britons not to travel to Kurdish Iraq, as the security situation there deteriorates.

Britons already in Kurdistan, including those in Irbil, have been told to remove themselves from areas close to the fighting.

A FCO said it "advises British Nationals against all travel to the areas affected by recent fighting, including those within the Kurdistan Region.

In revised travel guidance, it said: "Those British Nationals already present in the Kurdistan Region should take precautions to remove themselves from areas close to the conflict.

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the UK was ready to offer help to the US operation.

Christian refugees who have fled Irbil, which is now threatened by ISIS

He told Sky News: "We welcome what the Americans are doing, in particular to bring humanitarian relief and to prevent any further suffering.

"But our focus is on assisting that humanitarian mission using our military in support of the Americans, in terms of refuelling and surveillance, to under pin their mission and to add to it with food drops of our own."

His comments came as it emerged that the US had carried out air strikes to hit ISIS forces on the ground after they made major advances in Iraq.

Earlier, David Cameron had insisted the world must help Iraq's Yezidi community in their "hour of desperate need".

The Prime Minister said he "utterly" condemned "the barbaric attacks", adding he was "especially concerned" for people from the religious minority trapped on Mount Sinjar.

He added that he fully back President Obama's decision to press ahead with airstrikes, which he said had been requested by the Iraqi government.

Iraqi Ambassador to the UK Faik Nerwayi said that he had heard the the air strikes had already brought a wave of optimism to some of the those who had been forced to flee.

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