Humanitarian

International Committee of the Red Cross says it is alarmed by the worsening humanitarian situation in Iraq and calls for better protection of Iraqi civilians from continuing violence. In a report issued Wednesday the Red Cross reports numerous instances of what it calls clear violations of international humanitarian law.

The Red Cross says the Iraqi people are enduring “unbearable and unacceptable” conditions, and calls on all those who can influence the situation in Iraq “to act now to ensure the lives of ordinary people are spared.”

The report says civilians are increasingly the targets of daily shootings, bombings, murders and abductions as well as military operations. It documents the alarming state of Iraq’s health-care facilities, noting that medical professionals are forced to avoid going to hospitals and clinics for fear of their own lives. Russia is criticizing Iran for conducting an air-defense exercise near a nuclear plant Russia is helping to build.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday that Iran did not inform Russian experts at the Bushehr plant before the test. A representative of Russia’s atomic agency says the lack of warning created tension at the site and disrupted work.. Iran conducted the practice firing at 5 a.m. Friday near the still-unfinished nuclear power plant in the country’s southwest. The Russian company in charge of construction at Bushehr says Iran has resumed payments for the project. Russia earlier this month had complained that Iran was behind in its payments but Iran denied the charge.

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