Sudan: Report From International Committee of the Red Cross

Wed Aug 3 2005 Press Release by the International Committee of the Red Cross. A few snippets:

Violence threatens to spiral

On 3 August, 84 bodies were reportedly lying in the city mortuary next to Khartoum hospital while news of further casualties continued to come in. With rumours fuelling the mounting tension, the local media had little reliable information to provide.

The ICRC is currently supporting the emergency response efforts of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) through the latter's Khartoum branch. The ICRC has so far provided two ambulances with drivers as well as fuel, stretchers and dressing kits for the treatment and evacuation of injured people to hospitals and other medical facilities. On the first day alone, the SRCS evacuated some 40 dead and 200 wounded, while the ICRC medical team based at the Juba Teaching Hospital treated upwards of 30 severely wounded people. The ICRC is now assessing the situation and remains ready to provide further assistance. So far, the violence has not had any major effects in the eastern and western parts of the country.

Sudan remains the ICRC's largest operation worldwide. Currently there are some 2,000 national staff and 200 expatriates working for the ICRC throughout Sudan, roughly half of whom are based in Darfur.