ICRC [to 9 May 2015]
https://www.icrc.org/en

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Syria: More access needed as situation deteriorates
News release
07 May 2015
The ICRC’s director of operations, Dominik Stillhart, has said the humanitarian situation in Syria has deteriorated sharply during the past few weeks and the need for food, water and medical supplies is more urgent than ever. On a two-day visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, Mr Stillhart appealed for more access to areas affected by the fighting…

Nigeria: Aid reaches hundreds found in Sambisa Forest
News release
07 May 2015
Abuja/Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross have delivered aid to a group of 275 people, mainly women and children, who had been found in Sambisa Forest, in north-east Nigeria. The group was found during military operations in the region last week.

Yemen: ICRC and MSF alarmed by attacks on country’s lifelines
News release
04 May 2015
Joint statement – Sana’a/Geneva (ICRC/MSF) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are extremely concerned about the severe damage caused by recent Coalition attacks on airports in Sana’a and Hodeida, obstructing delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance and movement of humanitarian personnel.
“Yemen depends almost completely on imports of food and medication, especially for the treatment of chronic diseases,” says Cedric Schweizer, who heads a team of 250 ICRC staff in Yemen. “Sana’a airport was an essential piece of civilian infrastructure, and the main lifeline for supplying essential humanitarian goods and services. The harsh restrictions on importations imposed by the Coalition for the past six weeks, added to the extreme fuel shortages, have made the daily lives of Yemenis unbearable, and their suffering immense,” Mr Schweizer added.
The disruption of the key logistic infrastructure, including airports, sea ports, bridges and roads, is having alarming consequences on the civilian population, and the humanitarian situation has now become catastrophic. Checkpoints operated by the different armed factions have obstructed the delivery of urgent medical supplies to hospitals and have prevented patients and casualties from accessing essential health care.
“The current conflict has already caused extreme hardship for the population across the country,” said Marie Elisabeth Ingres, who heads the MSF mission in Yemen. “The destruction of the runway at Sana’a means that countless lives are now more at risk, and we can no longer afford to stand and watch as people are forced to drink unsafe water and children die of preventable causes,” Ms. Ingres added.
MSF and the ICRC demand that robust and unobstructed channels for the provision of humanitarian assistance are opened and respected by all parties to the conflict in this increasingly desperate situation. We call for an end to attacks on these vital lifelines and for the Yemeni civil aviation authority to be given the chance to repair the airports, so that humanitarian assistance can be sent to Yemen.

Jordan: Humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees swell
News release
03 May 2015
As the Syrian crisis enters its fifth year, the hardships endured by millions of people in Syria and neighbouring countries continue to grow. According to recent figures, the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan stands at almost 680,000, with approximately 85% of them living in host communities.
In an effort to address the humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has continued providing the newly arriving Syrians, who stay initially at four ICRC-supported transit facilities in the north-eastern border area, with often daily essential assistance, including three cooked meals per day, drinking water, blankets, mattresses, hygiene items and basic medical supplies.