The International Committee of the Red Cross is deeply concerned about the intensification of violence in recent days around a detention facility in Sina’a, Hassakeh city, and calls for unhindered humanitarian access to ensure that emergency assistance reaches those in need.
Tens of thousands of people had to flee their homes and seek safety in neighboring areas following the recent violent escalation in Hassakeh, northeast Syria.
“With temperatures dropping below freezing in northeast Syria, we are deeply concerned about the situation of people forced to flee their homes who need access to shelter, food, water, health services and above all a safe environment,” said Christophe Martin, the head of ICRC’s delegation in Syria.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is running ambulance services and have assisted in evacuating many families and placing them in host communities or temporary shelters. Water and hundreds of essential household items were distributed in the areas where displaced people gathered. The ICRC also donated medical supplies for the SARC mobile clinic to support the displaced families. The ICRC and the SARC will continue to follow the humanitarian situation on the ground, assess the needs and respond accordingly.
“People not involved in the fighting must be spared from harm as much as possible” states Christophe Martin, Head of ICRC’s delegation in Syria.
Hostilities in densely populated areas are particularly concerning. The ICRC urges all parties to take every possible measure to respect civilians and civilian objects, and allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief, in line with international humanitarian law. The ICRC stresses that persons not or no longer taking a direct part in hostilities, such as the wounded, persons deprived of their liberty and civilians, must be treated humanely in all circumstances, without adverse distinction.