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A International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warehouse was struck and set alight during air raids over Kabul on Tuesday, an ICRC source told IRIN. The warehouse, situated in the Kabul suburb of Wazirabad, about one kilometre across open fields from Kabul airport, was struck at 1330 local time, wounding one guard and destroying ICRC relief supplies.
The ICRC spokesman in Islamabad, Mario Musa, told IRIN that the guard was brought to hospital by ambulance shortly after the incident. "We've had reports that there is a big fire and our understanding is that most of the supplies - which were non-food items - are destroyed," he said.
According to Musa's sources in Kabul, fire teams quickly arrived and were working to put out the blaze, although the full extent of the damage is as yet unclear.
Musa said that the ICRC warehouse had been clearly marked with the organisation's logo, which should afford it protection during conflict. Asked if the US-led forces had been contacted regarding the incident, Musa said the appropriate measures would need be taken at the ICRC's Geneva headquarters. "But in any case, the coalition are already aware of the rules of war. This building was protected under these," he said.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
