ISIS threatens to execute 300 Yazidi families they've surrounded in northern Iraq as the extremists continue to lay siege to mountain where 50,000 of the minority are holed up without food or water

• Jihadist group says it will kill religious minority members in Koja, Hatimiya and Qaboshi unless they convert to Islam
• They are also surrounding Mount Sinjar, near the Turkish border, where Yazidi people fear slaughter at their hands
• Americans and Kurdish forces have made aid drops on the mountain, with British helicopters soon to join in
• Comes after Barack Obama authorised air strikes on Islamic State artillery emplacements and convoys yesterday

The Islamic State has threatened a fresh wave of violence against the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq, saying they will execute 300 families whom they have surrounded in northern Iraq.

It came after the jihadist militant group took hostage hundreds of Yazidi women in their stronghold city of Mosul yesterday, amid warnings that they had 'vicious plans' for their captives.

Fighters for the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as ISIS, continue to lay siege to a mountain near the Turkish border, where as many as 50,000 of the minority - considered apostates and devil-worshippers by IS - have been holed up without food or water.

They today received aid from Kurdish and American forces, who have intervened to protect the embattled minority group after an international outcry.

Desperate masses: Stranded Yazidi men, women and children rush towards a Kurdish helicopter carrying aid today, as IS fighters surround mount Sinjar

Tearful: Some children were carried off to safety, but thousands of the religious minority remains stranded on the mountainside 

Under fire: The film crew, embedded with the Kurdish fighters, also saw a firefight between the helicopter gunner and IS forces with anti-aircraft weapons

Persecuted: Yazidi children (pictured) have taken to sheltering in the holy valley of Lalish, while others trapped in the Sinjar Mountains were flown renewed supplies by the U.S. today. The religious minority is not alone in being threatened by the militants, who also say Christians and Shia Muslims are heretics and should convert

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Masses of desperate, crying Yazidis were filmed today by a crew from Rudaw news perched in a Kurdish helicopter as water and supplies were dropped, while the chopper came under fire from IS troops below. American plans also dropped supplies, and RAF helicopters were today dispatched to do the same.

The latest threat to the three hundred families - who live in the villages of Koja, Hatimiya and Qaboshi - came after the Sunni militant group surrounded them, according to a Yazidi politician.

It came as U.S. President Barack Obama said more air strikes were likely around the Sinjar Mountains where the Yazidis are trapped - and refused to give a timetable for how long the offensive might take.

The U.S. and Iraqi governments have stepped up our military assistance to Kurds as they wage this fight,' he said. 'American aircraft are positioned to strike IS terrorists around the mountain to help forces in Iraq break the seige and rescue those who are trapped there.'

He insisted he was pursuing a 'broader strategy' aimed at 'preventing an act of genocide'. 'Ultimately only Iraqis can ensure the stability and security of Iraq', he said. 'The United States can't do it for them.'

But he added: 'We will protect our American citizens in Iraq whether they're diplomats, civilians or military. If these terrorists threaten our facilities or our personnel we will take action to protect our people.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2720723/ISIS-threatens-execute-300-Yazidi-families-ve-surrounded-northern-Iraq-extremists-continue-lay-siege-mountain-50-000-minority-holed-without-food-water.html#ixzz39w4UNLxn