Joint statement International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Yemen Red Crescent Society, Geneva / Sana'a.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is shocked and saddened by the deaths of its two volunteers working with the Yemen Red Crescent Society (YRCS).
Qaed Faisal, 28, and Omar Fareh, 31, were both killed along with other civilians during an airstrike in the Al-Swaida area of Taiz. On the same day, more than 130 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike while attending a wedding celebration in the Al-Mocha area of Taiz.
"It is another tragic event for all of us at the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. Since March, we have lost a total eight staff and volunteers in Yemen," said Mr Fuad Al-Makhazy, Secretary General of the Yemen Red Crescent Society. The two latest victims had been volunteers with the YRCS for more than eight years.
Indiscriminate air strikes and shelling have been going on in many parts of Yemen for more than six months, causing huge suffering to the civilian population.
The volatile security situation in Yemen, coupled with the recurrent attacks on humanitarian workers, are restricting field movements and hampering the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) stand united in their call for civilians to be protected during the conflict and for humanitarian and medical workers to be allowed to carry out their duties in safety.
For further information, please contact:
- Muhammad Ghazi, YRCS Sana'a, tel: +967 73 975 5666
- Rima Kamal, ICRC Sana'a, tel: +967 73 607 1967, email: rkamal@icrc.org
- Sitara Jabeen, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 24 78 or +41 79 536 92 31, email: sjabeen@icrc.org
- Soraya Dali-Balta, IFRC Beirut, tel: +961 79 300439, email: soraya.dalibalta@ifrc.org
- Reeni Amin Chua, IFRC Geneva, tel: +41 79 708 62 73, email: reeni.aminchua@ifrc.org
