ICRC - Op Note 18/17
20 March 2018

A 14-truck convoy from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is delivering 25 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid on Tuesday to displaced people in Tal Rifaat, in the North of Aleppo governorate. This delivery is the second aid to reach Tal Rifaat since the intensification of fighting there in January.

Among the items being delivered:

Hygiene kits for 3,000 people containing soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc.

Winter clothes for 21,000 children and 2,000 women; 22,500 blankets

75,000 baby diapers

2,000 kitchen sets 

6,500 moquettes

7,000 rechargeable lamps in addition to water tanks and buckets.

 
In the past few days, the ICRC has also delivered blankets, mattresses and daily essentials to SARC distribution points in Nubul and Zahraa as an emergency response to the increasing number of people seeking refuge from the conflict in Afrin. The ICRC is planning to scale-up its response in the coming days to include medical supplies, provision of water and daily meals.

This assistance is not enough. Needs are growing daily and more needs to be done to be able to access Afrin and other areas on a regular basis to respond to the humanitarian needs of people flee the fighting. Tens of thousands of people in need are still trapped in Afrin with very little access to humanitarian assistance.

The ICRC reminds all parties involved that health facilities, health workers, aid workers and their facilities and vital infrastructure should not be a target. As well, all precautions should be taken by the warring parties to ensure that the wounded have unhindered access to life-saving medical care.

Download photos of the convoy entering Tal Rifaat and starting distribution of daily essentials to displaced people.  

For further information, please contact:

Ingy SEDKY, ICRC Damascus, tel: +963 930 336 718, e-mail: isedky@icrc.org  

Iolanda JAQUEMET, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 79 447 37 26, e-mail: ijaquemet@icrc.org

Matthew CLANCY, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 79 574 15 54, e-mail: mclancy@icrc.org

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