DUSHANBE, October 9, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Following the recent armed clashes that shook the eastern part of Tajikistan, resulting in many casualties, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Red Crescent Society (RCS) of Tajikistan sent personnel to the Rasht valley to gain a first-hand understanding of the situation and needs, and to start providing medical assistance for the main hospital at the town of Gharm, the administrative center of Rasht district.

"The medical items we delivered, which were donated by the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, included medicines and dressing materials," said Zafar Muhabbatov, Secretary General of the Tajik Red Crescent. "In addition, flour and other household essentials were stockpiled by the Gharm branch of the Tajik Red Crescent and readied for distribution if necessary."

Pascale Meige Wagner, the ICRC''s head of operations for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, met in Dushanbe with the first deputy foreign and interior ministers. "My message to them was very clear: the ICRC is ready to respond promptly and effectively to any need for humanitarian aid that may arise," said Ms Wagner.

The ICRC has been working in Tajikistan since 1992. It carried out a major humanitarian operation during the 1992-1997 civil war. More recently, it has provided support for the mine-awareness education program and other activities of the Tajik Red Crescent, and for the Dushanbe limb-fitting centre providing physical rehabilitation services for mine victims and other disabled people. In addition, it promotes awareness of and compliance with international humanitarian law.