Syria: All staff must be released safe and sound
On Friday (18 October), ICRC Head of Delegation in Syria Magne Barth said:
“It’s a very very simple appeal. I appeal from my heart in the name of humanity, on behalf of the families to release our colleagues safe and sound and unharmed.”
The ICRC calls for the immediate release of its three colleagues still held in Syria.
Six ICRC staff members and one Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer were abducted by unidentified armed men near Sareqeb in Idlib Governorate, in north-western Syria on 13 October.
Three ICRC staff and one SARC volunteer were later released 14 October.
The team had travelled to Idlib on 10 October to assess the medical situation in several Idlib Governorate health structures and to deliver medical supplies in Sarmin and Idlib city. The convoy, which was on its way back to Damascus, was clearly marked with the ICRC emblem, which is not a religious symbol.
Shotlist
00 00 English and Arabic
“I would like to say a few words in Arabic first: (Arabic starts, English translation) I want to speak about the Red Cross in Syria and our colleagues abducted in Idlib, but as my Arabic is not so good, I will continue in English.”
00 22 English
“It’s a very very simple appeal. I appeal from my heart in the name of humanity, on behalf of the families to release our colleagues safe and sound and unharmed.”
00 37 English
“It is clear if this situation is not resolved, it will affect negatively the aid we are trying to bring to the Syrian people. We need safety and security for our staff to be able to reach out whether it is in the field of water, or health or food to the people who need us.”
01 00 English
“The families are very very heavily affected and they come to my office they cry, they plea for information about the release of their loved ones. I have not been able to give that until now. They are suffering because they have no information about them and I have promised them both personally and as an institution ICRC will do whatever we can to bring the loved ones back to them, safe and sound. That’s why I also plea for this release today.”
01 35 ENDS