165 Results for The Americas

03-04-2012

Four members of the Colombian Armed Forces and 6 police officers were released late Monday night by the FARC-EP in an operation facilitated by the ICRC. The men, who had been held for 10 to 14 years, travelled by helicopter to Villavicencio Airport where their anxious families were waiting for them. The ICRC facilitated this operation through its role as a neutral intermediary and the acceptance of the parties involved. Thomas Ess, one of the ICRC delegates on board one of the helicopters, describes what happened when the men finally realized they were about to gain their freedom

02-04-2012

Brazilian helicopters arrived in Villavicencio airport with the humanitarian commission for the release of 10 persons held by FARC-EP, some of them for over 14 years now. The International Committee of the Red Cross is facilitating this operation after agreement between the parties involved. Michael Kramer, deputy head of the ICRC Colombia delegation makes the following statement on Sunday April 1st.

02-04-2012

The International Committee of the Red Cross' Middle East spokesperson Hicham Hassan made the following statement on 2nd April 2012:

30-03-2012

On Monday April 2nd the release of 10 soldiers and police members held by the FARC-EP will start. The men have been held for up to 14 years without contact with the outside world, The International Committee of the Red Cross is facilitating this operation after agreement between the parties involved.

07-09-2011

On 5 September, the ICRC together with the Libyan Red Crescent, distributed hygiene kits to 1000 Sub Saharan Africans who sought refuge in the military port of Sidi Bilal, west of Tripoli. They are staying in abandoned fishing boats. Food supplies will be delivered to them in the coming days by the Libyan Red Crescent.<br>

26-08-2011

Ahead of The international Day of the Disappeared on the 30th of August, the ICRC is providing new material from Colombia where nearly 50,000 people are officially missing.

23-06-2011

In June 2007, the Israeli authorities announced the suspension of family visits for Palestinians from Gaza who were being held in Israel. This decision, which was made a year after Palestinian armed groups captured the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, deprives both the detainees and their relatives of an essential lifeline, and cuts detainees off from the outside world. In the past four years, over 700 families from Gaza have been prevented from seeing their detained relatives.

26-05-2011

2010 to 2011 have seen a major series of crises which have affected ever increasing numbers of people. Demand for humanitarian assistance has reached an unprecedented level at a time when long term conflicts continue unabated, according to the ICRC's Annual Report launched in Geneva today (26th May 2011).

05-05-2011

As a result of the recent and ongoing fighting in Libya, unexploded weapons left from the conflict are a major hazard for the country's civilian population. Unexploded ordnance and armoured vehicles, including rockets, shells and mortars, are strewn across public places and residential areas in Misrata, Ajdabiya and Benghazi. The risk for civilians is high.

14-04-2011

At over 3.5 million people, Colombia has one of the biggest displaced populations in the world. In a 'forgotten conflict' that has rumbled on for 5 decades, civilians often get caught up in the crossfire.