The United Nations has announced its highest level of emergency for the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.
It comes after tens of thousands of the members of the Yazidi sect fled the so-called Islamic State's advance to take refuge in the remote Sinjar mountain range.
Stephane Dujarric is a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"The humanitarian situation of the civilian population on Sinjar is alarming, due to the narrow corridors for transporting essential aid such as medicines, food and water. The people stranded on Sinjar Mountain have also to face soaring temperatures, which are reaching up to 111 degrees Fahrenheit."
