Syria conflict claimed lives of 50 volunteers – Red Crescent

Damascus, Syria – Syria’s four-year-old conflict has claimed the lives of 50 Red Crescent volunteers, including two killed within hours in the northwestern city of Idlib this week, an official said.

Elias Ghanem, Middle East and Africa director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the toll included 42 Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteers and eight from the Palestinian Red Crescent.

In a tweet, the International Committee of the Red Cross deplored the loss of the 50 Red Crescent volunteers it said died saving the lives of others in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011.

The most recent to die, on Thursday in Idlib, were SARC volunteers Ibrahim Eid and Mohamad Ahmad Kamouaa, the ICRC said.

It said they were “retrieving dead bodies” and “preparing shelters” when they died, without giving further details on the cause of death or apportioning blame.

Idlib was captured from government forces by Islamist rebels, including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, on March 28. – Rappler.com