People
displaced by the armed fighting in Basilan Province in July line
up to receive essential household items from the ICRC and the
Philippine Red Cross. (photo by PRC) |
Armed fighting in
Basilan displaces 17,000 people
By ICRC
July 29, 2016
MANILA – Armed
fighting between government security forces and non-state armed groups
since the first week of July has caused the displacement of around
3,400 families in Basilan Province, southern Philippines.
The affected families in
Tipo-Tipo, Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan municipalities have sought
refuge with their relatives after shelling and air strikes occurred on
an almost daily basis over the past three weeks. Casualties and
injured fighters were reported on both sides, while a few civilians
were also wounded as a consequence of the clashes.
“The security situation in
Basilan is precarious. We are concerned for the civilians as we expect
clashes to continue in the coming weeks,” said Yann Fridez, head of
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sub-delegation in
Mindanao.
“We urge all parties to the
fighting to exercise utmost precaution to minimize the impact or
damage to civilian communities. We also ask them to spare civilian
structures such as hospitals, schools and houses, and facilities that
are essential for their daily lives,” he stressed.
To complement the assistance
provided by the authorities, the ICRC, with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC),
distributed essential household items to more than 17,000 displaced
people in the three municipalities. The items distributed by the PRC
Basilan chapter on July 27-28 included hygiene kits, blankets, towels,
jerry cans, mosquito nets and sleeping mats.
The ICRC also distributed
dressing kits and medical supplies including drugs and anti-tetanus
vaccines to enhance the capacity of rural health units in these three
municipalities to treat sick and wounded people. Already in April, the
ICRC and the Department of Health-Health Emergency Management Bureau
had conducted Basic Life Support training for 168 health staff in
Basilan and Sulu provinces.
The ICRC is a neutral,
impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose mandate is
to protect and assist people affected by armed conflict and other
situations of violence. It has had a presence in the Philippines for
more than 70 years and a permanent presence in Mindanao since 1982.