President Barack Obama said Thursday he had authorized US air strikes on Iraq and humanitarian supply drops to prevent a "genocide" by Islamist extremists against minorities.

"We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide," Obama said, referring to the attacks against the besieged Yazidi minority, thousands of whom are trapped on a mountain in northern Iraq.

"I therefore authorized targeted air strikes if necessary to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege and protect the civilians trapped there," Obama said.

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