Humanitarian aid in Al Anbar province
In his last letter to families on 10.21.2004, 2nd BCT commander Col. Gary Patton wrote: "we are deeply involved in restoring necessary municipal services to a refugee camp of several thousand Iraqis, driven from their homes in nearby Fallujah." Athough no specifics have been published on these efforts, here is a brief summary of the recent news on the huminitarian situation in the region.
According to an AP report, there are 3 major refugee camps for families displaced from Fallujah:
- 1,200 families in Habbaniyah, north of Fallujah
- 3,500 families in Ameriyah, east of Fallujah
- 2,500 families in Ramadi, west of Fallujah
Most other fleeing families appear to be staying with relatives or friends in other locations. A few pictures of a relief camp are found from this Yahoo News Photo search.
As a follow-up to Operation Al-Fajr in Fallujah, several stories have discussed the aid situation in the city and surrounding areas. Some articles, such as an AP article and a Reuters article, declare fears of a possible humanitarian crisis. The Multi-National Forces-Iraq issued a news release stating an information campaign is in progress to let citizens know where to seek help. Due to continued fighting in Fallujah, many reports say there are many uncertainties on the extent of humanitarian needs in the city.
The primary local aid agency is the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, which receives support from foreign agencies including the Red Cross and UNICEF. Other international agencies, such as CARE International and Doctors Without Borders have ceased operations in Iraq due to the great security risks, including the October kidnapping of the CARE director (her whereabouts are presently unknown). The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains an up-to-date Iraq Humanitarian Assistance Report, which details publicized activities.
Coalition forces have also been involved with humanitarian aid. More recent efforts are published in the "The Scimitar" (the weekly paper of the Multi-National Forces - Iraq). Older efforts were published directly on the Multi-National Forces - Iraq web site. For the current operations, an an AFP report indicates $90 million dollars have been appropriated for reconstruction efforts in Fallujah.
Combined, these articles indicate a humanitarian dilemma occuring simultaneously with the increased military conflicts.
According to an AP report, there are 3 major refugee camps for families displaced from Fallujah:
- 1,200 families in Habbaniyah, north of Fallujah
- 3,500 families in Ameriyah, east of Fallujah
- 2,500 families in Ramadi, west of Fallujah
Most other fleeing families appear to be staying with relatives or friends in other locations. A few pictures of a relief camp are found from this Yahoo News Photo search.
As a follow-up to Operation Al-Fajr in Fallujah, several stories have discussed the aid situation in the city and surrounding areas. Some articles, such as an AP article and a Reuters article, declare fears of a possible humanitarian crisis. The Multi-National Forces-Iraq issued a news release stating an information campaign is in progress to let citizens know where to seek help. Due to continued fighting in Fallujah, many reports say there are many uncertainties on the extent of humanitarian needs in the city.
The primary local aid agency is the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, which receives support from foreign agencies including the Red Cross and UNICEF. Other international agencies, such as CARE International and Doctors Without Borders have ceased operations in Iraq due to the great security risks, including the October kidnapping of the CARE director (her whereabouts are presently unknown). The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains an up-to-date Iraq Humanitarian Assistance Report, which details publicized activities.
Coalition forces have also been involved with humanitarian aid. More recent efforts are published in the "The Scimitar" (the weekly paper of the Multi-National Forces - Iraq). Older efforts were published directly on the Multi-National Forces - Iraq web site. For the current operations, an an AFP report indicates $90 million dollars have been appropriated for reconstruction efforts in Fallujah.
Combined, these articles indicate a humanitarian dilemma occuring simultaneously with the increased military conflicts.
posted by Ryan Kirk @ 7:44 PM
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