Usually media shy, The International Committee of the Red Cross held a press conference recently to voice their concern over the war in Afghanistan. The Red Cross reports that conditions in the country are at the worst they have been since the Taliban was overthrown. At the time conditions were bleak because the group was preventing aid and supplies from reaching those in need. Now, conditions are bleak for different reasons entirely.
The Red Cross reports that civilian casualties, resident displacement and access to health care are all worsening problems in the embattled country. The group has had a presence in the country for more than 30 years, since the Soviet invasion. The Red Cross maintains dialogue with all parties in the conflict, which gives them a unique ability to assess conditions in the country.
The Red Cross reports that admission of civilian war casualties to hospitals in the country are up by about 25 percent this year alone. A startling amount of these wounds come as a direct result of roadside bombs. In fact, more than 2,650 injuries were from roadside bombs. In addition to this, people that have left their homes to flee conflict has also risen by 25 percent since last year.
What has the Red Cross even more alarmed is the things they are not seeing. The group has reported that they have been unable to access certain areas of the country. Naturally, this means that the possibility for more civilians in need is substantial. The group is concerned that a whole mass of civilians may be in need of aid and have no means to seek it. The group hopes the press conference will bring the problem to the forefront of American politics and encourage an increase in international aid to the war torn country.
