The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is shocked and saddened by the death of Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteers Ikhlas Ibraheem al-Sulaiman and Muhammad Ahmad Othman, of the Homs Branch, who were killed on 7 November.
Ms. al-Sulaiman and Mr. Othman were members of the Homs Branch psycho-social team. They were killed when a mortar shell hit a civilian area of Homs as they transported supplies to be used as part of a joint SARC-UNICEF psycho-social project that helps children traumatized by the conflict. This tragic loss highlights the reality for SARC volunteers who are based within communities and exposed to the same risks as the people they are helping. Sadly in this attack a number of civilians were also killed and injured.
In total, 40 SARC aid workers have lost their lives since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, all of them killed while carrying out their humanitarian duties.
The Movement calls upon all parties involved in the conflict in Syria to spare all civilians and refrain from targeting civilian areas. Furthermore, the Movement calls on all parties to respect the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and guarantee the safety of aid workers and their unimpeded, immediate access to people in need across the country.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the families of Ikhlas Ibraheem al-Sulaiman and Muhammad Ahmad Othman, and its full solidarity with the SARC.
For more information, please contact:
Vivian Toumeh SARC Damascus, tel: +963 959 999 639
Penny Sims, IFRC Damascus, penny.sims@ifrc.org +963 953 333 860
Simon Schorno, ICRC Damascus, tel: +963 993700847 (English/French)
