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ICRC to send humanitarian assistance to conflict area

12 August 2008 16:13 (UTC +04:00)

Tbilisi â€“ APA. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is preparing to fly 15 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies to Georgia early this week to help treat people injured in the international armed conflict between Georgian, South Ossetian and Russian troops, ICRC told APA. The chartered flight from Geneva is also expected to include material for a water-treatment plant and distribution tanks capable of holding safe drinking water for around 20,000 people.
"So far, the ICRC has not been able to gain access to South Ossetia. This remains a priority for us," she continued. "The fighting has been too intense for us to move around or distribute assistance, so we are continuing to call for unimpeded and safe access to all areas affected by the conflict." said Dominique Liengme, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Georgia.

In North Ossetia, the organization is working with the Russian authorities to distribute aid to displaced people fleeing South Ossetia.

The ICRC has a delegation in Tbilisi, an office in Zugdidi (Western Georgia) and a small team in Gori. Additional staff is expected to arrive in Georgia in the coming days. In the northern Caucasus, the ICRC has a sub-delegation in Nalchik and offices in Khassaviurt, Grozny, Nazran and Vladikavkaz.