Displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community settle at the Qandil mountains near the Turkish border outside Zakho, 300 miles northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 16, 2014. Islamic extremists shot 80 Yazidi men to death in Iraq, lining them up in small groups and opening fire with assault rifles before abducting their wives and children, officials and eyewitnesses reported Saturday.IRBIL, Iraq – Islamic extremists shot scores of Yazidi men to death in Iraq, lining them up in small groups and opening fire with assault rifles before abducting their wives and children, according to an eyewitness, government officials and people who live in the area.
A Yazidi lawmaker on Saturday cited the mass killing in Kocho as evidence that his people are still at risk after a week of U.S. and Iraqi airstrikes on the militants.
Meanwhile, warplanes targeted insurgents around a large dam that was captured by the Islamic State extremist group earlier this month, nearby residents said.
In a statement, U.S. Central Command said the airstrikes Saturday were launched under the authority to support humanitarian efforts in Iraq, as well as to protect U.S. personnel and facilities.
Central Command says the nine airstrikes conducted so far had destroyed or damaged four armored personnel carriers, seven armed vehicles, two Humvees and an armored vehicle.