The Swiss-run International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has opened up an office in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch and agencies
A team of four specialists in health matters, logistics and detention-related activities will coordinate aid work in the west of the country and go back to the cities of Misrata and Zawiyah, a statement said.
The ICRC received permission to open its office from the Libyan government earlier this week.
The aid organisation plans to extend its activities to other regions.
The ICRC said that it had started distributing food and other items to about 18,000 displaced people in several eastern towns in cooperation with the Libyan Red Crescent.
Meanwhile, the Swiss church charity Caritas has announced it has doubled its contribution to SFr1 million ($1.1 million) for emergency aid projects for victims of the conflicts in North Africa.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
ICRC to open an office in Tripoli
This content was published on
The ICRC is already present in the east of the war-stricken country which is controlled by anti-government forces. A spokesman for the ICRC said the organisation planned to send a team to besieged Misrata as soon as possible. “The prime minister (of Libya) has agreed that the ICRC open an office in Tripoli,” the spokesman…
This content was published on
The Geneva-based organisation added on Saturday that its aid workers were on the way to Zawiyah, 60 kilometres west of the Libyan capital Tripoli. “We are sending the ship to support Misrata’s main hospital, by delivering enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapon injuries on the spot,” Jean-Michel Monod, head of the ICRC…
This content was published on
Alexandre Vautravers, editor of the Swiss Military Review and head of the international relations department at Webster University in Geneva, tells swissinfo.ch the Libyan army still has significant strength in numbers of tanks, assault vehicles, weapons and troops. After three nights of air strikes, discord about the aims of the mission amongst its allied leaders…
This content was published on
For the past two weeks, unrest has been spreading across Libya, with protesters demanding the departure of the country’s leader, Moammar Gaddafi. The self-styled guide has led the country for more than 40 years and has warned he will fight till the end.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.