The Kurdistan Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê) released a statement announcing that three healthcare workers affiliated with the organization were detained by the “Interim Government” forces during the attacks on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo.
According to the statement, the Heyva Sor staff members were detained while carrying out their humanitarian duties of providing first aid and medical care to civilians affected by the attacks.
“As Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê, we affirm that the team of the humanitarian aid organization Heyva Sor a Kurd is engaged solely in humanitarian relief work and is entirely independent of any political or military agenda,” the statement said.
The detained team members were named as Yusuf Hanan Hamoko – Ambulance Driver, Abdul Rahman Abdo Abdo – Nurse, Rami Hussein Al-Ali – Head of the Medical Team.
The statement continued: “The detention of humanitarian aid workers constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law, which guarantees the protection of medical and relief personnel during armed conflicts. We demand the unconditional release of our colleagues, the guarantee of their safety, and their return to humanitarian work. We emphasize that the Syrian Interim Government will be fully responsible for any harm that may be inflicted upon these workers.”
Heyva Sor also called on all international and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene to ensure respect for the principles of humanitarian action and to protect healthcare and aid workers from any risk of being targeted or detained.