News release

Mali: Six injured transferred from Kidal to Gao

Bandera del CICR ondeando con el cielo y las nubes en el fondo
ICRC

Bamako (ICRC) – On 16 August 2026, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the transfer of six injured people from Kidal Referral Health Centre to Gao Hospital. This operation was carried out in full transparency thanks to security guarantees from all parties to the conflict and forms part of the ICRC’s role of neutral intermediary.

"Our role as a neutral intermediary is a fundamental aspect of our mandate,” explains Nicolas Lambert, head of the ICRC’s Mali delegation. “The ICRC teams were able to transfer the injured to a suitable medical facility so they can receive the further treatment they need in order to recover and eventually be reunited with their families.”

“For the ICRC, it is essential to guarantee that the sick and injured in areas affected by conflict have access to the medical care they need,” continued Lambert. In accordance with its mandate, and with the agreement of the health authorities, the ICRC is therefore supporting some twenty community health centres, Gao and Mopti Hospitals and a number of referral health centres, by providing essential medical products and both technical and financial support to health personnel. Between January and June 2026, almost 70,000 people received treatment at these ICRC-supported health ministry facilities.

The ICRC underlines that under international humanitarian law, detainees and the injured must be treated humanely under all circumstances. Measures must be taken to guarantee their safety and dignity during transfers. The ICRC reiterates its commitment to maintaining bilateral, confidential and constructive dialogue with all parties to the conflict. This approach allows the organization to fully carry out its role as a neutral intermediary, acting in the interests of people who are affected or vulnerable, on strictly humanitarian grounds.

For more information, please contact:

Kany Elizabeth Sogoba, ICRC Bamako, tel: +223 76 99 63 75, email: ksogoba@icrc.org

Aminata Cissé, ICRC Bamako, tel: +223 82 99 21 02, email: amicisse@icrc.org

Jean Yves Clemenzo, ICRC Geneva, tel: + 41 79 251 93 02, email: jclemenzo@icrc.org

Did you know:

Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law

Hospitals, ambulances and medical staff must never be attacked or obstructed during conflict. International humanitarian law protects those who care for the wounded and sick, and the red cross, red crescent and red crystal emblems signal that protection. When health care is disrupted, entire communities suffer. The ICRC reminds all parties to conflict that even in war, medical care must be respected and protected.