ICRC to continue work in Afghanistan despite troops withdrawal

Even as Afghanistan stares at the withdrawal of foreign troops by next year, the International Red Cross Committee has said its 1,700-strong mission would continue to work in the war-ravaged country, notwithstanding the security threat.
The volunteers of ICRC, which has the biggest Red Cross mission in the world, will not leave Afghanistan unless it becomes "totally hostile", its Kabul team head Gherardo Pontrandolfi, who was in India last week, told PTI.
His remarks came in the wake of last month's incident in which two personnel of Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), the local chapter of ICRC, were killed in Khanaqa district of northern Afghanistan.

"Today and in the past we are able to work in the country on the basis of very fundamental principal of neutrality, impartiality and independence of aid so that we are not perceived by any party as taking sides in the political debate," Pontrandolfi said.
There has been widespread apprehension about possible security situation in Afghanistan after foreign combat troops pull out of the country next year. The security of the country will be taken over by 350,000-strong Afghan security forces after the Nato-led foreign troops leave the country.
"I am positive and confident that the situation will not turn hostile against us. Because right now we work with the agreement of all parties and I do not have any indication that come 2014, those who are on the ground and the powerful will change their mind as long as we do our activities in impartial way and we don't take sides," Pontrandolfi said.

The ICRC has been working in Afghanistan since 1987 and it runs its operation through local partners like the ARCS. It has around 1,700 staff members deployed over 17 locations across the war-torn country.

When asked about last month's incident in which two ARCS personnel were killed in Khanaqa district of northern Afghanistan, Pontrandolfi said the agency was determined to continue its operation even after pull out of the foreign troops.
Since its inception in Afghanistan 26 years ago, the ICRC has lost one staff member.
"We have 17 offices in the country and undertake humanitarian activities without protection. We are not protected and everybody knows where we are and they could target us if they want to," he said.

He listed civilian causalities, internal displacement and insufficient access to medical care to people injured in attacks by militants as well as counter terrorism strikes as some of the challenges faced by health workers in Afghanistan.