B2 The Daily of Geopolitical Europe. News. Files. Reflections. Reports

Brief blog

2 ICRC aid workers killed in Yemen. A situation that is deteriorating every day (Stylianides)

(B2) Two Yemeni collaborators of the ICRC (the International Committee of the Red Cross) were shot dead in Yemen, announces the international organization.

A lone shooter?

« They were traveling in a convoy with other colleagues between Saada and Sanaa when they came under attack early this morning “Said the international organization in a press release. " A gunman acting alone would have opened fire on the convoy. One of the institution's collaborators died on the spot, the second in a hospital where he had been taken. They were both of Yemeni nationality and one worked as a liaison officer and the other as a driver. »

Not the first incident

The perpetrator of this attack is unknown. But this is not the first time in recent months that the ICRC has been targeted. Several security incidents have indeed affected the ICRC recently. On Monday (August 24), the organization's office in Aden was attacked by " unidentified gunmen " who have " broke into the building holding staff at gunpoint. " Vehicles, cash and equipment were then stolen.

Condemnation of the European Union

The European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Christos Stylianides, has sentenced " firmly this attack like the previous ones. " These attacks are an affront to international humanitarian law (IHL). They not only threaten the safety of aid workers but seriously impede the delivery of much-needed aid to people in need of assistance.. Over the past few weeks, the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen has continued to deteriorate tragically” he added, appealing to everyone. " I therefore call on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law so that humanitarian organizations can provide assistance to the civilian populations trapped in this conflict situation.

The continuation of the humanitarian operations in question

The act deliberately targeted the organization " This act seems to have been committed deliberately against our collaborators confirmed Antoine Grand, head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen. He did not specify on the continuation of his operations on the spot, reserving any decision for later. " At this stage, it is premature to predict the impact this dramatic event will have on our operations in Yemen. For now, we want to be part of the team and support each other in the face of this incomprehensible act. ", he added.

(NGV)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

s2Member®