Tony Abbott has offered Australia’s assistance to the US for humanitarian air drops over northern Iraq after the US military launched air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) forces.



The prime minister said he had spoken with US officials about the “potential humanitarian disaster” and that he had been asked to consider participation in humanitarian air drops.

“President Obama has already said that it has the potential to become a genocide and that’s why it’s important for Australia to join with our international partners in doing what we can to render humanitarian assistance,” Abbott said.

Tens of thousands of mainly women and children are surrounded in northern Iraq by Isis militants who are threatening to kill them. US military transport planes have dropped food and water for 40,000 civilians, Kurds mostly of the Yazidi faith, who are besieged on Mt Sinjar, on the western edge of Kurdistan’s boundary with the rest of Iraq. American jets have been sent in to attack Isis militants, striking their positions and bombing convoys.

The air drops came after reports that children among the stranded population were beginning to die of thirst on the bare, parched mountainside. Three planes delivered 72 bundles of supplies for the refugees. Included were more than 28,000 meals and more than 6,000 litres of water.

The Royal Australian Air Force is well equipped for humanitarian food drops, with a fleet of six C-17A Globemaster heavy lift aircraft as well as C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.

Abbott said Australia had two aircraft in the United Arab Emirates that could be used in the operations and the military was looking at how quickly air crews could be supplied, but said Australia would be “ready to assist within days” should it be called to action.

“We are looking to assist as quickly as we can,” Abbott said. The prime minister said it was important Australia join international partners on helping stifle a potentially large-scale humanitarian disaster.

He warned of the “medieval barbarism” of the terrorist group Islamic State, formerly known as Isil or Isis in its efforts to set up a “terrorist state”. “This is designed to protect civilians from a murderous onslaught,” Abbott said.

Abbott also dismissed reports that Australian warships could be used to launch missile strikes. “There’s been no discussions along those lines whatsoever.”

It would be the first significant Australian military involvement in Iraq since Australian forces began their withdrawal from Iraq in 2008. Australian troops entered the country as part of the US-backed invasion in 2003.

Britain has also indicated its air force will take part in the mission to drop food to the stranded Yazidis.