DHAKA: The US military has attacked Islamic State positions around the besieged Iraqi town of Amerli, where thousands of Shia Turkmen have been cut off from food and water for nearly two months by the group.

John Kirby, the US department of defence spokesman, said on Sunday that President Barack Obama authorised the "limited" military operation to prevent an Islamic State attack on Amerli and to enable an aid drop to those in the town.

Kirby said the aid came at the request of the Iraqi government and that the US military conducted the raids to support the aid delivery.

He added that aircraft from Australia, France and the UK had joined the US in the aid drop.

The strikes come as Iraq launched a major operation to liberate the besieged town, with support from Shia militias. The AFP news agency reported that Kurdish peshmerga were also involved in the operation, reports Al-Jazeera.

Residents of Amerli, who are in danger because of their faith and their resistance to the armed group, have vowed to kill themselves rather than risk capture by the group.

Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said on Saturday that any air strikes by the US around Amerli would widen its mandate in Iraq of protecting US personnel and critical Iraqi infrastructure.

BDST: 1016 HRS, AUG 31, 2014