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Conflicts in Iraq take toll on civilians: ICRC

31 December 2014 00:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Conflicts in Iraq took a heavy toll on civilians in the country this year, having caused thousands of casualties and displaced more than 2 million people, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"The ongoing cycle of violence, which contravenes international humanitarian law and has resulted in the continued loss of civilian lives and the destruction of property essential for survival, remains a matter of serious concern for the ICRC," said Patrick Youssef, head of the ICRC delegation in Iraq, in a statement.

The senior humanitarian official depicted the year of 2014 as "an appalling year" for the displaced Iraqi civilians, noting that their living conditions, particularly for women, children and the elderly, have been dire, and some have been displaced multiple times.

ICRC has distributed food and other relief items such as blankets, kerosene stoves, tarpaulins, jerrycans and kitchenware to those displaced across the country since January.

With the onset of winter, ICRC has also provided winter packages, including food, clothing and even cash assistance, for the displaced.

In addition, the organization warned that health-care facilities in violence-stricken areas suffered immense damages, with a number of the facilities having been attacked and suffering from chronic shortages of medicines and supplies, which resulted in an eroded medical service for the injured and the sick.

"Everyone is entitled to impartial health care. The wounded and the sick must be cared for without any discrimination," said Youssef, stressing that "health-care facilities and staff must be protected from attacks, they must be allowed to function".

Moreover, ICRC, which seeks dialogue with each party concerned by the conflicts, appealed for more extensive access to continue their life-saving activities.