International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – Switzerland
26 May 2006
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Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), alarmed by the heavy loss of life and the suffering of civilians in the upsurge of violent and indiscriminate armed clashes in Mogadishu, call again for restraint in the fighting.
On 25 May hospitals in Mogadishu, in particular the SRCS-run Keysaney hospital and the Medina hospital, admitted more than 150 wounded, including women and children. While there is no independent confirmation of the figures, it is estimated that dozens of people have been killed.
Since clashes first erupted on 18 February there have been more than 300 deaths, and 1,500 wounded have been treated in hospital.
The ICRC and the SRCS urge all the warring parties to comply with the rules of international humanitarian law and to take constant care in the conduct of military operations to safeguard the lives and dignity of the wounded, the sick, prisoners and the civilian population.
Furthermore, it is imperative that all parties to the conflict take all feasible measures to protect medical staff, medical facilities and vehicles being used to transport the wounded and sick. ICRC and SRCS staff must be shown special respect to enable them to carry out their much-needed humanitarian activities.
The ICRC has stepped up its ongoing regular support for Keysaney and Medina hospitals, while also providing emergency support to other medical facilities in the Somali capital. Health-care staff in Mogadishu and ICRC staff from Nairobi are all working tirelessly in an unsafe and volatile environment to save lives despite the difficult circumstances.
For further information, please contact: Pedram Yazdi, ICRC Somalia/Nairobi, tel. +254 722 518 142 or visit our website : http://www.icrc.org/eng/news
Source: ICRC, May 26, 2006
