UN Security Council slams attacks in north Iraq

The UN Security Council Thursday condemned attacks by the Islamic State in north Iraq and demanded those responsible be held accountable even as thousands of people affected by the conflict.

The members of the Security Council condemn the attacks by the Islamic State and expressed its "deep outrage" at the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, many of them from the vulnerable Iraqi communities, in the wake of the attacks, said Britain's UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, who holds the rotating council presidency for month of August.

The council issued the press statement as the White House was considering options to assist thousands of trapped minorities in Iraq, including possible airstrikes and airdrops of food and medicine, Xinhua reported.

Tens of thousands of refugees fled into the mountains, hoping to reach the Kurdish region in north Iraq, but were trapped because of militant activity between the mountain and the Kurdish area, and are running short on food and water.