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ICRC President Visits Besieged Taiz | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Sana’a, Yemen: ICRC teams talk to people whose houses have been damaged or destroyed in air strikes. (ICRC)


Taiz – International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer will visit Taiz in Yemen on Monday, according to Adnan Hazzam, a Red Cross spokesman in Sana’a.

Maurer will arrive in Taiz after his visit to Aden and he is expected to meet several officials to discuss the humanitarian situation and living conditions in the region, Hazzam told Asharq Al-Awsat.

ICRC President Maurer arrived in the interim capital of Yemen Aden on Sunday for a five-day visit, where he met with Prime Minister of Yemen Ahmed Obaid Bin Daghar.

During the meeting, Bin Daghar expressed the government’s appreciation of the work of ICRC team in Yemen in alleviating the suffering of people who are in great need for support.

The PM assured that the legitimate government is ready to exchange prisoners with Houthis through the UN and ICRC.

“The government stands by your team and your proposal that may bring cheerful news to the families of detainees and prisoners,” Bin Dagher told Maurer.

Earlier, the ICRC issued a statement saying that the great tragedy is that the cholera outbreak is a preventable, man-made humanitarian catastrophe.

Maurer added in the statement that it is a direct consequence of a conflict that has devastated civilian infrastructure and brought the whole health system to its knees.

“I find this needless suffering absolutely infuriating. The world is sleepwalking into yet more tragedy,” Maurer expressed.

Further deaths can be prevented, but warring parties must ease restrictions and allow the import of medicines, food and essential supplies and they must show restraint in the way they conduct warfare, according to ICRC president.

With at least 10 families approaching the ICRC every week to report a missing loved one, Maurer will urge all warring parties during his visit to provide unconditional and immediate access to people detained in relation to the conflict.

In related news, a UN delegation including executive director of World Food Program (WFP), president of World Health Organization (WHO), and president of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will visit Aden on Monday and meet the legitimate government. The delegation will then head to Sana’a.

Sources close to the matter told Asharq al-Awsat that the officials will discuss the humanitarian situation with communities and officials on all sides of the conflict and the siege Houthi and Saleh militias impose on several Yemeni cities including Taiz.