DAVAO CITY—The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) swung to the southwest of Lanao del Sur to bring relief goods for two weeks to two towns affected by continuing military operation against remnants of the Maute Group, which laid siege on Marawi City.
The ICRC said it is working with the Philippine Red Cross to bring relief to close to 500 families displaced by the outbreak of fighting last month in the southern part of Lanao del Sur province.
“These families have been unable to return home due to security concerns,” the ICRC said, quoting Meher Khatcherian, who heads the ICRC office covering this area. “Though various government agencies have distributed food among the displaced population, there is a need to extend more help,” Khatcherian said. “Our aim is to augment the initial support.”
The ICRC said the two-week ration was distributed on Thursday last week to the displaced families in Pagayawan municipality, comprising around 2,500 people. Each family received 25 kilograms of rice, 1 liter of cooking oil, 1 kg of sugar, 1/2 kg of salt, 1 liter of soy sauce, 12 tins of sardines, as well as two sleeping mats, two blankets, two mosquito nets, kitchen utensils and hygiene items.
The ICRC said more than 14,000 persons were initially displaced by the fighting between government soldiers and alleged terrorists, who the Army said took the name of Islamic State-Ranao. The fighting started on June 17 and affected 16 barangays in Pagayawan and Tubaran.
After the clashes ended, the ICRC said its staff conducted an assessment of the humanitarian situation, “including the need to strengthen the protection accorded to civilians by international humanitarian law.”
“While families displaced from Tubaran returned home days after the assessment, those from Pagayawan continue to stay with relatives or in evacuation centers,” the ICRC said.
“In accordance with our mandate, the ICRC reminds all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, sick and wounded people, and detainees, and to fulfil their obligation to respect international humanitarian law,” Khatcherian said.
The ICRC also donated emergency medical supplies to the Pagayawan rural health unit, which serves 14,500 residents. These items would cover 1,000 people for the next three months. It also donated two weeks ago medicines and medical materials to the Unayan District Hospital in Binidayan town, which provides services to five Lanao del Sur towns, including Pagayawan.