"We have been receiving reports of food and fuel supplies running short, especially in Fallujah," said Patrick Youssef, head of the ICRC delegation in Iraq. "If power outages continue and medical supplies are not replenished, health-care facilities could soon be unable to provide patients with suitable care."

The ICRC is calling on those involved in the fighting in Fallujah, Ramadi and other areas to spare civilians and to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid to reach the people who need it most. It is also insisting that medical personnel be allowed to perform their tasks in safety.

Despite the difficulties, the ICRC managed to get access to Saqlawiyah this afternoon and delivered food parcels and blankets to displaced families. "We are ready to deliver more life-saving supplies and other humanitarian aid immediately to the areas hardest hit," said Mr Youssef. "But we need to be given easier access and the necessary security guarantees."

For further information, please contact:
Pawel Krzysiek, ICRC Baghdad, tel: +964 790 191 6927
Dibeh Fakhr, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 37 23 or +41 79 447 37 26